DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials of his Department who are allocated to work in Afghanistan are based in  (a) the UK,  (b) Kabul and  (c) Helmand province.

Andrew Robathan: Afghanistan is the Ministry of Defence's main effort and as such civilian posts across the Department and from all functional specialisms contain different proportions of Afghan-related business. The MOD does not compile numbers and to do so would involve disproportionate cost.
	However, I can confirm that there are 10 MOD civilians in Kabul and 130 MOD civilians in Helmand Province. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five as numbers go up and down daily as people hand over and travel between locations in and out of theatre for work and leave.

Air Force: Cadets

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the level of financial savings arising from the reorganisation of the Edinburgh and South Scotland Wing Air Training Corps of the Air Cadets.

Nick Harvey: The proposed structural re-organisation of the Scotland and Northern Ireland region is part of a streamlining measure across the Air Cadet organisation. The proposed changes will amount to an annual saving of around £72,000 from financial year 2011-12 onwards. These changes will not directly impact on Air Cadet numbers or the opportunities available to cadets.

Armed Forces: Finance

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the funding required to achieve the capabilities set out in Future Force 2020.

Liam Fox: holding answer 7 February 2011
	We are continuing to develop and refine our Strategic Defence and Security Review implementation plans. Until this work is complete it is not sensible to speculate about the overall cost of the Defence programme.
	However, as the Prime Minister made clear on 19 October 2010,  Official Report, columns 797-826, his own strong view is that there is a requirement for year on year real terms growth in the Defence budget from 2015 to ensure that we realise the vision set out in Future Force 2020. We will also continue to meet the NATO target of 2% defence expenditure throughout the comprehensive spending review period.

Armed Forces: Pay

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the financial effects on armed forces personnel of the recent changes to their allowances;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the potential effects on morale and retention of armed forces personnel of recent changes to allowances and pay;

Andrew Robathan: The Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) set out a requirement to reduce expenditure on Service and civil service allowances amounting to some £300 million per year.
	These changes are a necessary part of the Ministry of Defence's contribution to the overall Government's programme to reduce the UK deficit inherited from the previous Government.
	The purpose of allowances is to reimburse service personnel for justifiable expenditure incurred either when on duty or as a result of the unique nature of service life. The current financial position has placed pressure on the level of allowances that are affordable. Whilst there will be some reductions and changes, appropriate allowances will continue in the future.
	We have concentrated on ensuring, where possible, that no group is disproportionately affected, and have sought to mitigate effects by phasing in some changes by up to two years. The service chiefs of staff and their principal personnel officers have been fully engaged in this process.
	Individuals who believe they will be placed in financial difficulty by the changes have been directed to inform their chain of command.

Aviation

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on fees to air transport brokers in each of the last five years.

Nick Harvey: We do not pay separately for brokers' costs in chartering air transport. Our requirements for chartered aircraft are competitively tendered. Both air transport brokers and independent air carriers may decide to tender for the contracts. Should an air transport broker win the contract, under the rules of competing contracts, they are not required to identify the fee separately.

Bangladesh: Military Aid

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department has offered to the government of Bangladesh in training the Bangladesh Rapid Action Battalion  (a) in general and  (b) in counter-terrorism techniques.

Alistair Burt: I have been asked to reply.
	Our support to Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to date has focused on the provision of human rights training and on improving their ability to conduct operations in a human rights compliant manner through the provision of training in forensic awareness, management of crime scenes and recovery of evidence. We have provided training on the concepts of professional ethical policing, with an emphasis on the importance of respecting human rights, including the rights of witnesses, suspects and victims.
	The aim of the Government's provision of training to RAB has been to increase the prospects of law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations being conducted in a manner properly respectful of human rights standards.

Bangladesh: Military Aid

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the government of Bangladesh on the Bangladesh Rapid Action Battalion  (a) in general and  (b) on training.

Alistair Burt: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government consider it important to address the issue of human rights rather than to ignore it. The Government therefore judges the improvement of law and order and counter-terrorism enforcement in Bangladesh to be a valuable contribution to protecting the safety and human rights of the general community both in Bangladesh and, to the extent that threats emanate from Bangladesh, in the UK.
	During the recent visit of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, raised UK assistance already provided to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and emphasised the importance that the UK Government places on human rights. This is part of an ongoing dialogue with the Government of Bangladesh.
	The aim of our programme with the RAB is to further improve their standards in accordance with our own values and legal responsibilities and to increase the prospects of law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations being conducted in a manner properly respectful of human rights standards.

Defence Estates: Finance

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding his Department allocated to Defence Estates for the maintenance, repair and modernisation of the defence estates in financial year 2010-11.

Andrew Robathan: In 2010-11, some £1.25 billion has been allocated to Defence Estates for the maintenance, repair and modernisation of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) estate in the UK and overseas.
	This does not include those elements of expenditure on the Defence estate which are currently the responsibility of other parts of the MOD.

Departmental Pensions

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects on his Department's expenditure of implementation of the proposed changes to public sector pensions.

Andrew Robathan: The final report of the Independent Public Services Pension Commission is due to be published in advance of the Budget 2011. It is therefore not possible to make a proper assessment of the effects on the Department's expenditure until both the final report has been received, and the Government decide what changes should be made in response to the Commission's report.

Ex-servicemen: Social Clubs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the number of social clubs for ex-servicemen in each of the last 10 years.

Andrew Robathan: This information is not held by the Ministry of Defence.

Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the future strategic tanker aircraft will be deployed in high threat environments; what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of equipping the aircraft with platform protection measures; and what estimate he has made of the time required to modify the aircraft to include platform protection measures.

Nick Harvey: The future strategic tanker aircraft may be required to fly into operational theatres when, based on military judgment, the threat levels have been sufficiently mitigated. All aircraft entering operational theatres will be fitted with the necessary defensive aid measures required to meet the threat level at the time. As options for additional platform protection measures are being considered as part of the current planning round it would be inappropriate to comment on cost or timescale at this stage.

HMS Ark Royal

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what process he has put in place to decide the future of HMS Ark Royal.

Nick Harvey: HMS Ark Royal will be disposed of in accordance with the Ministry of Defence's policy for disposing of large items of surplus defence equipment to maximise value to the taxpayer. As such, we are first looking at a sale to other governments for continued military use; this will shortly draw to a close. We are also exploring other options including selling HMS Ark Royal to a private commercial enterprise through a competition that would be carried out consistent with European Union regulations.

Radio Frequencies: Sales

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation his Department undertook on its decision to release 500MHz of surplus Government spectrum to the market by 2013.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 7 February 2011
	I have been asked to reply.
	The Government announced in their National Infrastructure Plan published last October that they were looking to release at least 500MHz of spectrum currently held by the public sector over the next 10 years.
	The Shareholder Executive and DCMS, working with other relevant Government Departments, are developing plans that build on the work already carried out by the MOD and others. We anticipate an initial overview of this 10-year project will be published by early April. This will be followed by more in depth analysis, including consultations with industry and other interested groups, on which spectrum bands could add most value to the economy and what would be involved in the release of those bands.

RAF Lossiemouth

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times search and rescue helicopters based at RAF Lossiemouth have been involved in operations related to North Sea offshore oil and gas installations and support aircraft and vessels in each of the last five years.

Nick Harvey: Information is not held in the format requested, however, I am able to provide the following:
	
		
			   Rigs  Support vessels  Support aircraft 
			 2006 16 7 0 
			 2007 11 8 1 
			 2008 15 5 1 
			 2009 9 4 2 
			 2010 7 1 0 
		
	
	The data contained in the table have been drawn from the search and rescue database maintained by Defence Analytical and Statistical Advice.
	The figures given for rigs are the call-outs that are categorised on the database as "Rig". The figures given for "Rigs" are the call-outs that are categorised on the database as being to oils or gas rigs; however we do not hold data specific to vessels and aircraft in support of oil and gas installations. We have drawn together figures for "Support vessels" and "Support aircraft" by analysing the narratives of call-outs and recording where the aircraft or vessel assisted is known to be in support of an oil and gas installation. Because these figures are based on extrapolating information from narratives rather than specific fields in our database, we cannot be as sure of their accuracy as we could if the data had a specific recording field.

RAF Middle Wallop

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of RAF Middle Wallop as a training facility for Army helicopter pilots.

Nick Harvey: Training for Army helicopter and fixed wing pilots, alongside Army aircrew ground support training, will continue at Middle Wallop for the foreseeable future.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Gambling: Licensing

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the merits of removing the need for licences for small charity events holding raffles or bingo games.

John Penrose: In most cases it is already true that small charity event organisers do not need a Gambling Commission licence to offer raffles or bingo games. We are currently working with the Commission to look at a range of deregulatory measures that would benefit the third sector, and we hope to make an announcement later in the year.

Internet: Bullying

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to review the processes involved in removing harmful content from social networking sites in cases of cyber-bullying.

Edward Vaizey: Ministers are aware of the significant concerns among parents and young people of cyber-bullying. We welcome increasing efforts of social networking sites, which are represented on our UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), to implement policies to help users protect themselves and report unacceptable behaviour, including cyber-bullying. We have no plans formally to review take-down processes, but UKCCIS continues to look at ways in which children can be kept safe online. If the hon. Member has a specific concern, I should be happy to look into it.

Sign Language

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent steps his Department has taken to support users of British Sign Language.

John Penrose: The Department has a comprehensive policy on its intranet for supporting colleagues who are deaf or hard of hearing. This policy includes guidance on the use of sign language interpreters. The Department currently has no staff who need to use British Sign Language.

Sign Language

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what support his Department has provided for users of British Sign Language to access telecommunications facilities since May 2010.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom is carrying out a review of relay services and is considering the needs of British Sign Language users as part of that review. Government funding is available for use of video relay in the workplace (for people who have been assessed as needing it) under the Access to Work scheme.
	As part of its implementation of the European Framework on Electronic Communications, Government are supporting British Sign Language users by pursuing the duty to promote the availability of terminal equipment suitable for disabled users through the e-Accessibility Forum, which draws together Government, industry and voluntary sector to explore and understand issues of e-accessibility and develop and share best practice across all sectors.

Sign Language

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the merits of including British Sign Language in Ofcom's universal service obligation.

Edward Vaizey: The revised Universal Service Directive provides for Ofcom to extend equivalence to other communication providers and not just universal communication providers. We propose to amend section 51 of the Communications Act 2003 to clarify Ofcom's power to impose a general condition in relation to equivalence. An amendment to the universal service order may be necessary depending on the outcome of Ofcom's consultation on the provision of relay services in the UK.

Sports: Clubs

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to prevent the closure of community sports clubs;
	(2)  what steps his Department has taken to reduce the burden of administration on community sports clubs.

Hugh Robertson: I commissioned the Sport and Recreation Alliance to review regulatory burdens which affect sports clubs in the UK. The review will examine what prevents or hinders sports clubs and volunteers providing sport, and I anticipate them coming forward with a range of policy recommendations with the objective of cutting red-tape at grassroots level. The review is due to conclude in March.
	The £135 million sport legacy strategy, Places People Play, launched in November, will be funded by lottery money and has been developed in partnership with Sport England, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA).
	As part of the programme, the Inspired Facilities fund will see Sport England invest £50 million in creating a tangible legacy by improving up to 1,000 local sports facilities. Applications for funding will be open in April for the first of five £10 million funding rounds, with the final one in 2014-15. Community sports clubs will be eligible to apply for the fund.
	In addition, the Iconic Facilities fund will support innovative and sustainable large scale multi-sport facilities' projects that will become beacons for grassroots sports. £30 million of capital national lottery funding will be invested by Sport England over three years. Applications for the first £10 million funding round were accepted until December 2010 with further funding rounds opening in autumn 2011 and 2012.
	We would also encourage every club to consider registering as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC). The scheme has provided valuable funding to sports clubs which allows them to benefit from certain tax reliefs, similar to those normally given to charities.

Sports: Clubs

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many community sports clubs have closed in  (a) Gloucester,  (b) the South West and  (c) England in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Neither the Department nor Sport England hold the information in the manner requested.

Telecommunications: EU Law

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how his Department plans to interpret the requirement in the EU Electronic Communications Framework for access to electronic communications services equivalent to that enjoyed by the majority of end-users.

Edward Vaizey: The revised provisions of the EU Electronic Communications Framework, which include revisions to the Universal Services Directive, provide for member states to empower national regulatory authorities (Ofcom in the UK) to specify, where appropriate, requirements to ensure that disabled end-users:
	(a) have access to electronic communications services equivalent to that enjoyed by the majority of end-users; and
	(b) benefit from the choice of undertakings and services available to the majority of end-users.
	In order to fully implement this provision, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is proposing to make changes to section 51 of the Communications Act 2003 to clarify Ofcom's power to impose a general condition in relation to equivalence. In addition we will further analyse the responses to the recent Government public consultation on proposals to implement the revised framework, including Article 23a of the USD Directive on equivalence of access and choice for disable end-users.
	Ofcom are also undertaking a review on adaptive technologies including specific measures such as relay services for deaf and hard of hearing users.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impairment

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what statutory requirements there are for the provision of telecommunications services to deaf people; and what services are provided under such requirements.

Edward Vaizey: Specific arrangements which provide for disabled users of electronic communications networks are mandated under the Universal Service Order 2003 and section 67 of the Communications Act 2003 which empowers Ofcom to set Condition 15 ("Special Measures for end-users with Disabilities") of the Consolidated Version of the General Conditions (18 March 2010) on the providers of universal telecommunications services in the UK.
	These statutory arrangements currently mandate the requirement of, for example, a text relay service and a priority fault repair service.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Females: Public Expenditure

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps the Government Equalities Office has taken to identify any disproportionate effects on women of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that any such disproportionate effects are mitigated.

Lynne Featherstone: All Departments are required to assess the impact on gender, race and disability of their policies. At the spending review the Treasury published an overview of the likely impacts on women, disabled people and ethnic minorities alongside the main spending review announcement-the first time this has been done. This shows that women will benefit from the protection to many key services that are used more extensively by them.
	Throughout the spending review process the Government Equalities Office (GEO) has been in contact with spending teams and senior policy owners to ensure they consider the equalities implications of their policies. Departments will continue to consider the impacts of their policies as further details are worked out, publishing material where appropriate, and the GEO will continue to work closely with them to make sure equality considerations are embedded in policy development.

Males: Employment

Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will take steps to bring about gender parity by increasing the number of men employed in her Department.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office follows the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Code and all candidates are selected on merit.

Pay: Equal Opportunities

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what pay gaps there are in respect of  (a) gender,  (b) race and  (c) disability among employees of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Lynne Featherstone: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an arm's length body; the following is based on information it has provided.
	At 31 March 2010 (the most recent information available), the percentage pay gaps based on average hourly rates at the EHRC were as follows:
	 (a) Gender: 4.88
	 (b) Race: 9.39
	 (c) Disability: 5.39.

Public Expenditure

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how much Barnett consequential funding the Government Equalities Office has provided to each of the devolved Administrations in  (a) 2010-11 to date and  (b) each of the last three years; and with which programmes such funding was associated.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office has not provided any form of funding to the devolved Administrations.

SCOTLAND

Railways: Construction

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with  (a) ministerial colleagues and  (b) the Scottish Executive on new high speed rail services for Scotland.

David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and the Scottish Government on a range of issues, including new high speed rail services for Scotland. The Government are committed to a truly national high speed rail network which will be delivered in phases. Every phase of this project will have benefits for Scotland in terms of cutting journey times.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

British Waterways

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of canals and rivers owned by British Waterways are expected to achieve  (a) Good Ecological Status and  (b) Good Ecological Potential under the Water Framework Directive by 2015.

Richard Benyon: Nearly all British Waterways' water bodies are designated as heavily modified or artificial under the water framework directive, for which the objective is good ecological potential (GEP). In relation to the physical impacts caused by navigation, 82% of the water bodies owned by British Waterways are classed as being at GEP or better. This is not expected to change significantly by 2015. Most of British Waterways' canals are expected to meet the GEP target by 2027, in line with the objective set by the Environment Agency.

British Waterways

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many weirs British Waterways own without fully-functional all-fish species passes which comply with the provision of the Water Framework Directive.

Richard Benyon: British Waterways has 138 river weirs. 30 of them have fish passes, of which 13 cater for all species. British Waterways is working with the Environment Agency and private sector partners to identify funding for fish passes for another 20 weirs identified as a priority. Of the remaining weirs, some are so low that fish are already able to pass, some are at locations where there are alternative routes for them to pass, and others are on rivers where there are obstructions downstream that need attention first.

Business: Ethics

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has been represented at meetings of the EU High-Level Group of Member States Representatives on corporate social responsibility.

Richard Benyon: No. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills leads UK involvement in meetings of this group.

Crayfish

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effect of signal crayfish populations on the native population of white-clawed crayfish; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: We are aware that signal crayfish have a profound impact on the native crayfish population, due to predation, competition, and the spread of disease. We are also greatly concerned that abundant signal crayfish populations also impact other native freshwater invertebrates, particularly soft-bodied species, thus altering the ecology of rivers. To help ensure the long-term survival of the native species, Natural England and the Environment Agency are supporting projects to establish refuge sites for white clawed crayfish. They are currently finalising a best practice/guidance document on decision-making in the placement and establishment of Ark sites, and other conservation requirements. Natural England is currently funding a project in south-west England involving a captive rearing programme at Bristol Zoo, the identification of Ark sites and reintroduction of white-clawed crayfish to a number of sites across the south-west.
	Guidance on the creation of Ark sites has been drawn up by Buglife, and Ark site creation projects have been carried out by Buglife and the Peak District National Park, funded by Natural England through DEFRA's Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.

Crayfish

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment her Department has made of the effects on the white-clawed crayfish population of loss of habitat arising from flood defence and drainage programmes.

Richard Benyon: Natural England (NE) does not regularly monitor habitat loss outside of protected areas. As with other Schedule 5 species similarly protected under Section 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, in areas where white-clawed crayfish are present and work needs to be carried out, all practical measures must be taken to avoid or minimise impacts on the species. NE with the Environment Agency has produced guidance to help those planning work avoid or minimise impact on crayfish and improve habitats where possible. Depending on the type of project, various mitigation measures may be required with the aim being to ensure the long term survival of the resident breeding population. White-clawed crayfish inhabiting the affected area have to be temporarily removed by licensed crayfish handlers and are generally held until works have been completed. Crayfish habitat must be reinstated at the end of the works.

Crayfish

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made on the effects on river ecosystems of trends in signal crayfish numbers; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is aware that research on signal crayfish shows that the species has an impact on both the physical nature of aquatic habitats (through burrowing and consequent siltation and erosion damage), and on a range of fauna and flora in rivers. The most noted impact is on the native white-clawed crayfish, but effects on other invertebrates and a number of fish species have been recorded. Clearly the scale of any impact will be increased as the signal crayfish population sizes increases in a given environment. A preliminary assessment of ecosystem health under the water framework directive indicates that up to 43 riverine water bodies (out of 5,818 in England and Wales) are likely to fail to achieve 'good ecological status' because of signal crayfish.

Dairy Farming: Milk

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with dairy farmers on future contractual arrangements made with purchasers of their milk.

James Paice: I chaired the most recent meeting of the Dairy Supply Chain Forum on 20 January this year; Forum members include dairy farmer representatives.
	I dedicated a large part of the meeting to discussing the EU Commission's proposals on future contractual arrangements made by dairy farmers with purchasers of their milk.

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which persons not employed by Government departments or agencies hold passes entitling them to enter her Department's premises.

Richard Benyon: Passes may be issued to those who are required to make frequent visits to specific Government sites, subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide details of individuals who hold such passes.

Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance the Secretary of State has issued to Bassetlaw District Council in respect of the exercise of its functions as regulator under regulation 64 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 7 February 2011
	Statutory regulation 64 guidance has been issued to all local authorities, including Bassetlaw district council, in the form of 82 Process and 10 Sector Guidance Notes which comprise the Secretary of State's views on what constitutes best available techniques for minimising pollution from different industry sectors. Also, a General Guidance Manual has been issued containing advice on procedural, and other matters. All the guidance can be found at:
	http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/industrial/las-regulations/guidance/

Fish Farming: Salmon

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the contribution of the farmed salmon industry to the UK economy.

Richard Benyon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 January 2011,  Official Report, column 393W, to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Thomas Docherty).

Fish Farming: Salmon

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the sustainability of the farmed salmon industry.

Richard Benyon: The sustainability of farmed salmon is dependent on a number of elements concerning both the feed used and the local environmental impacts.
	Fishmeal and fish oil are essential components in the diet of farmed salmon Dependence on wild fish stocks as a feed source needs to be reduced in order for the industry to develop sustainably. Fish In - Fish Out ratios, comparing the weight of wild fish used as feed with the corresponding weight of farmed fish produced, have steadily fallen with the continuing substitution of non-marine ingredients for fishmeal and fish oil. By-products arising from fish and shellfish processing are also increasingly used for fish feed in the UK.
	On the potential environmental impacts I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 January 2011,  Official Report, column 394W, to the hon. Member for Dunfermline and West Fife (Thomas Docherty).

Horticulture

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will conduct an environmental impact assessment of the trade in hardy ornamental nursery stock.

James Paice: Environmental impacts are routinely assessed when new policies are considered as part of the impact assessment process.
	DEFRA has not identified any additional need for an environmental impact assessment on this trade.

Land

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many owners of sites of special scientific interest were fined for damaging the land under their supervision in  (a) 2007,  (b) 2008,  (c) 2009 and  (d) 2010.

Richard Benyon: To date, we have recorded six prosecutions:
	2007: 1 (owner)
	2008: 1 (owner)
	2009: 1 (owner); 1 (occupier); 2 (third party)
	2010: 0
	All were fined, except the 2009 owner who received a conditional discharge plus costs.

Pigs: Farms

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the factors affecting costs for producers in the British pig industry.

James Paice: Average farm business income on specialist pig farms is forecast to fall by around two-thirds in 2010-11. This is primarily a result of higher feed costs combined with lower prices for pig meat reducing output. For specialist pig farms, the falling value of trading livestock towards the end of the accounting year is also expected to lead to a considerable change in the year on year closing valuation.
	In January, the European Commission agreed to introduce Private Storage Aid for pig meat and we are waiting to see what impact that has. We welcome the Commission facilitating discussions over the coming months on the future of the pig meat market and how it can become more sustainable and competitive.

Public Contentment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on measures of public contentment in each of the last 10 years.

James Paice: DEFRA has published a set of life satisfaction or wellbeing measures as part of its Sustainable Development Indicators annually since 2007. The statistics are based on public attitude surveys undertaken in England. The measures include overall life satisfaction (on a scale from 0 to 10), and satisfaction with 11 selected aspects of life including standard of living, health, and accommodation.
	In March 2010, when asked to rate their satisfaction with life the average response people in England gave was 7.5 on a scale from 0 to 10. The equivalent average rating for earlier years was 7.3 in 2007, 7.5 in 2008 and 7.4 in 2009.
	The wellbeing measures were published in "Measuring progress: sustainable development indicators 2010", which is available at the following website address:
	www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/progress/index.htm
	Further statistical results from the 2010 survey questions, and earlier surveys, are available at the following website address:
	www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/environment/pubatt/index.htm
	In November 2010 the Prime Minister asked the National Statistician to lead work on developing a national measure of wellbeing. The Office for National Statistics is expected to publish first results in July 2012. Further information is available at the following website address:
	www.ons.gov.uk/well-being/index.html

Rivers: Pollution

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many reported pollution incidents in rivers involving the release of farm-related products there were in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency's National Incident Recording System (NIRS) records all reported pollution incidents from 2005 to present, but does not classify which incidents involve farm-related products.
	The following table gives information for England and Wales for incidents where there was an impact on water, based on an approximation from the NIRS. This approximation includes incidents where the pollutant type was agricultural material or waste and incidents which occurred on agricultural premises.
	
		
			   Incidents 
			 2005 864 
			 2006 645 
			 2007 670 
			 2008 672 
			 2009 615 
			 2010 643

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the audit process for grants made in each of the last five years from her Department to  (a) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and  (b) Natural England.

Richard Benyon: The Secretary of State has assessed that the audit regime in place for the last five years covering DEFRA and its arm's length bodies complies with professional standards. This audit regime has included testing the controls in place in relation to grant payments made to such bodies as Natural England and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. The system is being reviewed to ensure that details of all payments to outside bodies can be easily analysed.

Sewage: Railway Track

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the risks to  (a) the environment and  (b) public health of rail carriages operated by train operating companies discharging sewage onto railway tracks.

Richard Benyon: The discharge of wastes from railway sanitary conveniences is regulated under the terms of an exemption from the need for an environmental permit. (The discharge is exempt only where the types and quantities of waste involved do not endanger human health or risk harm to the environment.)
	Businesses carrying out exempt waste operations such as this are required to meet the terms of the exemption and register with the Environment Agency. The Agency is charged with carrying out appropriate periodic inspections of exempt waste operations to ensure compliance with the legislation, and takes appropriate enforcement action where necessary. In practice the Agency adopts an intelligence-based approach to target its resources. It inspects this particular type of exemption when it receives complaints.
	The Government carries out regular reviews of exemptions from environmental permitting to ensure the controls are proportionate to the risk posed. I will also write to you in response to your letter on this matter.

Supermarkets: Competition

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with dairy farmers on the effects on the sector of introducing a food prices code adjudicator.

James Paice: I have had no discussions with dairy farmers specific to the groceries code adjudicator. BIS is leading on the Bill, with close co-operation from DEFRA. This is a wider Bill, affecting a number of sectors, not just dairy farming.
	I do, however, chair the Dairy Supply Chain Forum, which enables dairy farmers to discuss key issues with processors and retailers. I am pressing the forum to address the trade deficit in dairy (currently £1.27 billion) and to work collaboratively towards greater industry sustainability. At the last meeting on 20 January 2011, I was also able to hear a number of viewpoints on the state and structure of the industry, including from representatives of dairy farmers.
	We are introducing the groceries code adjudicator to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice to prevent large retailers from transferring excessive risks or unexpected costs onto their suppliers.

Waxwing

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the number of  (a) waxwing,  (b) fieldfare and  (c) redwing thrushes.

Richard Benyon: Waxwing, fieldfare, and redwing all occur in highly variable numbers in the UK each year in the non-breeding season making the estimation of total numbers extremely difficult. The most recent assessment of numbers are as follows.
	 Waxwing
	 Non-breeding:
	In a normal winter probably less than 100 individuals occur (based on data from the 1981-83 British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Winter Atlas). The current 2010-11 winter has seen a major influx of waxwings from Scandinavia and many thousands, possibly tens of thousands have been present in Britain. No precise estimates are available.
	 Breeding:
	Does not breed in the UK.
	 Fieldfare and r edwings
	 Non-breeding:
	Numbers of fieldfares and redwings arriving in autumn from their breeding areas in Scandinavia vary between winters. The most recent estimates of numbers wintering in the UK was 720,000 fieldfares and 685,000 redwings (based on data from the 1981-84 BTO Winter Atlas). No more recent estimates are available.
	 Breeding:
	Both fieldfares and redwings are extremely rare breeding birds in the UK. In most recent years there have just been single records of fieldfares attempting to breed, although in 2008 there were seven such records. Numbers of breeding redwings, although always rare, have shown a long-term decline, from a peak of approximately 110 pairs in 1984, to seven to 27 pairs in 2008 (the most recent year for which records are available).

Written Questions: Government Responses

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to answer question 37074, tabled on 25 January 2011 for answer on 31 January 2011.

James Paice: The question was answered on 3 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 907-08W.

JUSTICE

Prisoners' Release: Young Offenders

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many young people aged  (a) 12 to 15 and  (b) 16 to 17 serving detention and training orders were provided with accommodation on release from custody by (i) local authority, (ii) local housing services and (iii) family members or friends in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: Local authorities have statutory responsibilities to accommodate young people in need of suitable accommodation through the Children Act 1989, the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and housing legislation.
	As part of the National Indicator 46 (access by young people who offend to suitable accommodation), the Youth Justice Board collected data on the proportion of all sentenced young people released from custody who had suitable accommodation to go to. This indicator ceased to operate from 31 March 2010.
	The figures for the last five years of data collection are presented as follows.
	
		
			  Accommodation following a custodial sentence 2006-07 to 2009-10 
			  Financial year  Number of  young people  subject to a custodial sentence transferred to the community( 1)  Number assessed as living in suitable accommodation ( 2)  Percentage in suitable accommodation 
			 2005-06 5,574 4,756 85 
			 2006-07 5,544 4,690 85 
			 2007-08 5,442 4,708 87 
			 2008-09 5,308 4,771 90 
			 2009-10(3) 3,991 3,694 93 
			 (1 )For all custodial sentences; data are not available broken down by DTO/other sentence type. (2 ')Suitable accommodation' is defined according to the Children (Leaving Care) (England) Regulations 2001: 11 (2) For the purposes of section 23B(10), suitable accommodation means accommodation: (a) which so far as reasonably practicable is suitable for the child in the light of his needs, including his health needs and any needs arising from any disability; (b) in respect of which the responsible authority has satisfied itself as to the character and suitability of the landlord or other provider; and (c) in respect of which the responsible authority has so far as reasonably practicable taken into account the child's - (i) wishes and feelings; and (ii) education, training or employment needs. This legislation does not prescribe rules for deciding as to whether a particular type of accommodation is suitable or unsuitable, but allows for practitioners to make a professional judgement based on the individual needs and circumstances of each young person. (3 )English YOTs only

Prisoners' Transfers

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reason is for the time taken to transfer Michael Binnington and Luke Atkinson to an open prison.

Crispin Blunt: Mr Binnington and Mr Atkinson have only recently been categorised as suitable for open conditions. A transfer was arranged but was cancelled due to population pressure at the receiving establishment. A further transfer will be arranged as soon as places become available.

Prisoners' Transfers

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons officials of his Department gave advice to the Governors of HM Prisons Edmunds Hill and Highpoint on applications for release under home detention curfew of Michael Binnington and Luke Atkinson; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each item of correspondence on the matter between his Department, the National Offender Management Service and the Prison Service.

Crispin Blunt: Decisions on home detention curfew (HDC) are for the prison governor in cases such as these. The Department provides a helpline service to prisons offering advice on the application of the legislative provisions and policy relating to the scheme. Copies of the request for advice and the advice given in relation to these applications have been placed in the House Library.

Prisoners' Transfers

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons he has declined to meet the families of Michael Binnington and Luke Atkinson.

Crispin Blunt: The hon. Member has written to Ministers on a number of occasions making representations on behalf of Mr Binnington and Mr Atkinson in reference to their trial in Cyprus, extradition to that country and their repatriation to the United Kingdom to complete their sentence.
	Ministers remain satisfied that all representations made to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), have been answered and the position of the Government has been explained in detail. Therefore, Ministers concluded that a meeting with Mr Binnington and Mr Atkinson's family would not be appropriate. Nevertheless, the hon. Member was offered a meeting with Ministers in correspondence of 2 December 2010, in view of her continuing interest in this case. That offer remains open.

Prisons: Civil Disorder

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) disturbances and  (b) riots (i) on the prison estate and (ii) in private prisons have been recorded since May 2010.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service records a variety of incidents that are related to disorder or disturbances at various levels of seriousness. Details of these are shown in the following table. The majority of disorder-related incidents are of a minor nature and are resolved quickly and professionally.
	Since 1 May 2010 there have been six major disturbances, identified as major acts of concerted indiscipline at: HMYOI Cookham Wood, HMYOI Warren Hill, three related incidents at HMP and YOI Moorland, and one incident at HMP Ford. These prisons are all within the public sector.
	Following each major disturbance a full investigation is carried out to ensure lessons are learned and best practise in managing incidents is shared across NOMS. Where perpetrators can be identified they are prosecuted.
	
		
			  Table 1:  Breakdown of disturbance-related incidents in prisons in England and Wales from 1 May 2010 until 31 December 2010 
			   Public sector prisons  Private sector prisons 
			 Population (October 2010) 75,590 9,569 
			 Concerted indiscipline active(1) 27 10 
			 Concerted indiscipline passive(1) 27 5 
			 Hostage 11 2 
			 Incidents at height(2) 270 26 
			 (1) Concerted indiscipline is when two or more prisoners act together in defiance of a lawful instruction or against the requirements of the regime of the establishment. (2) An incident at height is defined as any incident taking place over three feet from ground level and includes where prisoners have gained access to safety netting. 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
	These figures may change should any further incidents relating to this period be identified and reported to NOMS.
	To put these figures in context the following tables show the disturbance related incidents from January 2007 in both private sector and public sector prisons.
	
		
			  Table 2: Breakdown of disturbance-related incidents in prisons in England and Wales from 1 January 2007 until 31 December 2010 for private sector prisons 
			  Private sector prisons  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Concerted active 10 3 4 7 
			 Concerted passive 7 5 4 6 
			 Hostage 3 4 1 4 
			 Incident at height 27 46 40 41 
			 Population (end of June each year) 9,880 10,321 10,179 9,913 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Breakdown of disturbance-related incidents in prisons in England and Wales from 1 January 2007 until 31 December 2010 for public sector prisons 
			  Public sector prisons  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Concerted active 60 75 45 53 
			 Concerted passive 47 54 44 38 
			 Hostage 34 19 25 13 
			 Incident at height 203 291 326 334 
			 Population (end of 72,816 74,927 75,158 75,053

TRANSPORT

A1: Hatfield Tunnel

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects  (a) repair work to be concluded,  (b) all lanes to be open and  (c) the temporary speed limits to be removed from the Hatfield Tunnel on the A1.

Michael Penning: The refurbishment work, associated lane closures and temporary speed limits at the Hatfield Tunnel are scheduled to end in May 2011.

Cycling

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to promote the Cycle to Work Scheme  (a) to employers and employees and  (b) to other Government departments.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport values the Cycle to Work Scheme and continues to support it through the provision of the Cycle to Work Scheme implementation guidance and advice to employers and employees.
	The Local Sustainable Transport Fund is also open to local authorities to come forward with bids for sustainable travel packages that incorporate measures to encourage cycling, including to work.

Departmental Assets

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on taking account of social and community value when assessing the value for money of the proposed sale of Government assets for which his Department is responsible.

Michael Penning: The sale of assets for which the Department for Transport is responsible will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account overall value for money, the policy implications and the impact on stakeholders as appropriate.

Fares: Concessions

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider the merits of extending the duration of the concessionary fares scheme consultation to ensure that all interested parties have the opportunity to contribute to it in detail.

Norman Baker: The consultation on the reimbursement of bus operators for carrying concessionary pass holders ran for a period of eight weeks from 17 September 2010 to 11 November 2010. We received a wide range of responses from travel concession authorities, passenger groups and bus operators.
	Furthermore, the Department for Transport engaged closely with key stakeholders before the formal consultation and as the draft guidance was developed. The final reimbursement guidance was published on 29 November 2010 and reflected in its final form comments we had received.

Kemble-Swindon Railway Line

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received the GRIP stage 4 feasibility study on the Swindon to Kemble railway redoubling project; and whether he plans to publish the study.

Theresa Villiers: I have not yet received the GRIP stage 4 feasibility study on the Swindon to Kemble railway redoubling project from Network Rail, but expect to do so shortly. When it arrives, I will place a copy in the Library of the House.

London and Southeastern Railway

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from what date Southeastern's integrated Kent franchise may be extended by a further two years.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 4 February 2011
	The Southeastern franchise, agreed in 2005 by the previous Government, contains a provision for the contract to end on 31 March 2012, unless the train operator meets the performance targets set out in the Continuation Review.
	The terms of the Continuation Review are set by the 2005 franchise agreement. If the train operator meets those targets, the Secretary of State is legally obliged to offer Southeastern a further two years operating the franchise, lasting up to 31 March 2014. In these circumstances, the Secretary of State has no discretion as to whether to make this offer or not. The Secretary of State expects to make an announcement on this matter in due course.

Midland Main Line: Electrification

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his plans for the electrification of the Midland Main Line from Bedford to Sheffield via Derby and Nottingham.

Theresa Villiers: We will continue to look at the costs and benefits of this scheme and it is a potential candidate for funding during Network Rail Control Period 5 (2014 to 2019).

Motor Vehicles: EU Action

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had at EU level on the effect on motorists of trends in the cost of motoring.

Norman Baker: The Secretary of State and other Department for Transport Ministers have regular formal and informal discussions with their EU counterparts on a wide range of issues. These discussions often touch, directly or indirectly, on the costs falling to motorists and the wider transport sector, particularly where these might be affected by legislative or other proposals.

Northern Rail: Standards

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the rate of  (a) punctuality and  (b) cancellation of services was for the Northern Rail service operating on the  (a) Seaton Carew and  (b) Hartlepool to Heworth lines in each of the last five years.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport does not hold this information in the form requested.
	The hon. Member might like to consider contacting Network Rail or Northern Rail to see if they can give him information on this issue.

Railways: Construction

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the  (a) start and end dates and  (b) questions for the High Speed 2 consultation.

Philip Hammond: In my oral statement to the House on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 1201-03, I said that I expected the consultation to begin in February this year. I expect it to last until July. The consultation questions will be published at the launch of the consultation.

Railways: Franchising

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what consultation will be required with disabled passenger groups before changes to rail services under new franchises;
	(2)  what consultation will be required with local passenger groups before changes to rail services under new franchises;
	(3)  what arrangements are in place to ensure that the views of passengers are taken into account in the rail franchise bidding process.

Theresa Villiers: The views of passengers and passenger representatives, including passengers with disabilities, are sought by the Department for Transport during the development of the specification that is issued to franchise bidders.

Railways: Overcrowding

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria will be used to determine which new rail franchises will be required to manage crowding levels.

Theresa Villiers: A significant criterion will be the type of franchise. For non-commuter franchises, the bidding process will provide an opportunity to take account of strategies on capacity and crowding. For commuter services, we expect obligations on crowding, and associated mechanisms, to be developed as we re-let the relevant franchises, reflecting the circumstances specific to the operations in question.

Railways: Vandalism

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many reported instances of vandalism on the rail network there were in the last five years.

Theresa Villiers: 38,296 vandalism offences were recorded by British Transport police (BTP) in England and Wales during the last five years.

Southeastern

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail carriages operated by Southeastern are  (a) in service and  (b) under repair.

Theresa Villiers: Maintenance of rolling stock is an issue for the train operator to consider and manage according to its rolling stock leasing arrangements. The Department for Transport does not hold information relating to how many trains are in service or in repair at particular points in time.

Speed Limits: Fines

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issues to police forces on circumstances in which motorists found to have exceeded speed limits are offered the option of a safer driving course in lieu of a fixed penalty.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport does not issue guidance to the police about courses offered to drivers as an alternative to a fixed penalty for a speeding offence. Guidance about the criteria for offering courses is issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). Operational decisions are for individual police forces.

Speed Limits: Fines

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness in reducing speeding by motorists of offering those convicted of speeding offences the option of attending a safer driving course in lieu of a fixed penalty.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has published two road safety research reports assessing the effectiveness of speed awareness courses: 'Monitoring Speed Awareness Courses: Baseline Data Collection' (September 2010) and 'Effective Interventions for Speeding Motorists' (March 2006). These reports are available on the Department's website.

Transport: Business

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to engage with businesses in order to promote active travel.

Norman Baker: holding answer 1 February 2011
	The recently published Local Transport White Paper 'Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon' outlines the Government's strategy to encourage more sustainable transport choices, including active travel.
	Alongside this, the Government have announced a £560 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund for local authorities to bid for funding for sustainable travel packages, which could include active travel schemes. Bids from authorities working in partnership with their local communities and businesses will be especially welcome The Department also funds the National Business Travel Network, which provides guidance and resources to encourage business to adopt more sustainable travel measures, and continues to support the Cycle to Work scheme and guarantee.

Tyres: Insurance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has had discussions with insurance companies on winter tyres.

Norman Baker: There have been no discussions with insurance companies on winter tyres. The use of winter tyres and motor insurance is an issue for the insurance industry.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Age UK

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the conclusions and recommendations of the Age UK report, Invisible but Invaluable.

Maria Miller: We recognise that some pensioners who are also carers currently have to claim carer's allowance in order to get the additional amount for caring included in their pension credit, even if carer's allowance would not be payable. We are looking at ways to make it simpler for carers to claim the additional amount in pension credit. In designing any revised test for the award of the additional amount we need to ensure that resources are targeted at those most in need and it is therefore important that we use an appropriate test for those who have caring responsibilities.
	Carer's allowance is available to carers of state pension age but, due to the overlapping benefits rule, it cannot be paid to a carer who is receiving the same amount or more from state pension.
	The Government are currently considering whether changes to carer's allowance will be necessary to take account of the introduction of universal credit and provide clearer, more effective support for carers.

Children: Maintenance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to set the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission a target for collection of arrears.

Maria Miller: The current arrears position has accumulated over the 17 year life of the Child Support Agency.
	The Government have established a panel of independent debt experts to look at this issue and provide advice on how arrears of child maintenance might be dealt with most effectively in the long-term.

Disability Living Allowance

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of working-age people by  (a) sex,  (b) age group and  (c) disability in receipt of the lowest care component of disability living allowance.

Maria Miller: The information requested is contained in the following tables.
	
		
			  Working age disability living allowance female recipients of lower care component by main disabling condition and age, May 2010 Great Britain and abroad 
			   All working age  16-17  18-24  25-34  35-44  45-54  55-59 
			 Total 271,200 2,300 14,200 28,900 62,200 98,000 65,600 
			 Arthritis 54,400 100 400 2,100 7,700 22,400 21,700 
			 Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease 29,600 300 1,200 3,200 7,300 10,900 6,900 
			 Blindness 8,600 100 500 1,100 2,300 2,700 1,900 
			 Stroke Related 6,100 (1)- 200 400 1,300 2,500 1,600 
			 Learning Difficulty 16,800 500 4,100 4,300 3,800 2,900 1,200 
			 Mental Health Causes 52,400 300 3,100 9,000 14,900 17,700 7,400 
			 Epilepsy 2,100 (1)- 500 300 500 500 200 
			 Deafness 3,700 (1)- 500 700 700 1,100 500 
			 Malignant Disease 6,200 (1)- 200 300 1,100 2,700 1,900 
			 Chest Disease 3,100 (1)- (1)- 100 300 1,200 1,500 
			 Back Ailments 32,200 (1)- 200 1,600 8,200 13,500 8,700 
			 Heart Disease 3,400 (1)- 100 100 500 1,300 1,400 
			 Parkinson's Disease 500 (1)- (1)- (1)- 100 200 100 
			 Diabetes Mellitus 2,700 200 300 200 300 900 700 
			 Renal Disorders 1,100 (1)- 100 200 200 400 300 
			 AIDS 400 (1)- (1)- (1)- 200 200 (1)- 
			 Skin Disease 1,800 100 200 200 400 600 400 
			 Frailty (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Multiple Sclerosis 6,300 (1)- 100 800 1,800 2,300 1,300 
			 Other 39,600 600 2,500 4,300 10,500 14,000 7,800 
		
	
	
		
			  Working age disability living allowance male recipients of lower care component by main disabling condition and age, May 2010 Great Britain and abroad 
			   All working age  16-17  18-24  25-34  35-44  45-54  55-59  60-64 
			 Total 294,300 4,500 19,900 29,600 51,900 77,200 47,000 64,100 
			 Arthritis 40,000 100 100 600 3,200 9,700 10,000 16,400 
			 Muscle/Joint/Bone Disease 29,100 300 1,400 2,600 5,700 8,200 4,800 6,100 
			 Blindness 12,000 100 900 1,400 2,300 3,400 1,600 2,400 
			 Stroke Related 10,300 (1)- 100 400 1,100 2,600 2,100 3,900 
			 Learning Difficulty 30,000 1,800 7,700 7,300 5,100 4,400 2,100 1,600 
			 Mental Health Causes 55,200 400 4,200 9,200 14,600 15,400 6,000 5,300 
			 Epilepsy 2,400 (1)- 100 400 600 700 300 300 
			 Deafness 3,800 100 400 600 600 1,100 500 400 
			 Malignant Disease 3,500 (1)- 100 100 400 800 600 1,300 
			 Chest Disease 5,000 (1)- (1)- (1)- 200 700 1,100 2,900 
			 Back Ailments 35,900 (1)- 100 900 5,700 12,300 7,300 9,600 
			 Heart Disease 9,400 (1)- 100 100 300 2,100 2,400 4,400 
			 Parkinson's Disease 1,200 (1)- (1)- (1)- 100 200 300 600 
			 Diabetes Mellitus 4,000 300 300 100 300 1,000 700 1,200 
			 Renal Disorders 1,300 100 (1)- 100 300 400 100 200 
			 AIDS 1,100 (1)- (1)- 100 400 500 (1)- 100 
			 Skin Disease 1,400 100 200 100 200 400 200 200 
			 Frailty (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 Multiple Sclerosis 2,500 (1)- (1)- 200 800 700 400 400 
			 Other 46,200 1,200 3,900 5,100 10,100 12,500 6,600 6,700 
			 (1) Denotes nil or negligible.  Notes: 1. The preferred statistics on benefits are now derived from 100% data sources. However, the 5% sample data still provides some detail not yet available from the100% data sources, in particular, more complete information on the disabling condition of DLA claimants. DWP recommends that, where the detail is only available on the 5% sample data, or disabling condition (DLA) is required, the proportions derived should be scaled up to the overall 100% total for the benefit. These figures have been scaled up to the overall total by the application of a single rating factor therefore subtotals, based on uprated 5% data may differ from 100% data because of sampling variation in the 5% sample. 2. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Figures 500 and under are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should only be used as a guide. 4. Main Disabling Condition Where more than one disability is present only the main disabling condition is recorded. "Other" includes 25 medical conditions, including "Obesity" from February 2010 (for claims to benefit from October 2008 onwards). Previously, "Obesity" was included within "Mental Health Causes". 5. Working age restricts the analysis to males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to59. 6. State Pension Age The age at which women reach State Pension age will gradually increase from 60 to 65 between April 2010 and April 2020. This will introduce a small increase to the number of working age benefit recipients and a small reduction to the number of pension age recipients. 7. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5% sample

Disability Living Allowance

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of working age people in receipt of the lowest care component of disability living allowance in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: The information requested is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Disability living allowance recipients of working age with lower rate care component, May 2010 
			   Number 
			 Great Britain and abroad 571,760 
			  Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures do not include people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. Working age restricts the analysis to males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59. 4. State pension age: The age at which women reach state pension age will gradually increase from 60 to 65 between April 2010 and April 2020. This will introduce a small increase to the number of working age benefit recipients and a small reduction to the number of pension age recipients. 5. Data are published at http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool  Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Disability Living Allowance

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many items of correspondence his Department has received in support of the proposal to remove the mobility component of disability living allowance from those in residential care homes.

Maria Miller: The proposal to cease payment of the mobility component of disability living allowance after 28 days for those people in residential care, is subject to consultation and the responses will be analysed after the consultation closes on 14 February 2011.

Disability Living Allowance: Parents

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to allow parents whose children are in hospital for longer than 84 days to claim disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: Payment of disability living allowance and carers allowance continues to be made to children under 16 years in a hospital or a similar institution for the longer period of 84 days to avoid terminating payment of benefit for relatively short periods in hospital.
	Whereas those aged 16 and over retain payment of disability living allowance for 28 days, under 16s have a longer period of 84 days in recognition of the special needs that they may have for support from their parents while they are adjusting to hospital life.
	To leave benefit in payment indefinitely would mean that the Government were making provision twice for the same basic need, which would not be an effective use of taxpayers' money.

Employment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of  (a) incapacity benefit,  (b) income support and  (c) severe disablement allowance ceased receiving benefits and moved into employment of 16 hours a week or more in each quarter since 1 February 2009.

Maria Miller: The information requested is not available.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the limitation of contributory employment and support allowance to one year will apply to every new claim for the benefit; and whether any new claims will be linked to previous claims.

Maria Miller: As part of the spending review announcement, we propose to introduce a time limit of one year for those claiming contributory employment and support allowance and who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group. All other groups claiming employment and support allowance are not affected by this measure.
	Subject to passage of the relevant legislation, from April 2012, a time limit of one year is to apply to all claims for contributory employment and support allowance who are placed in the Work Related Activity Group. New claims may link to previous claims where the previous claim was paid for less than one year.

Employment and Support Allowance

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the finding in paragraph 3, page 3 of the summary of research report No. 631, Employment and Support Allowance: Early implementation experiences of customers and staff.

Maria Miller: The work capability assessment (WCA) is used to determine eligibility for employment and support allowance. It is based on the principle that a health condition or disability should not automatically be regarded as a barrier to work. In March 2010, a department-led review of the WCA found that generally it is accurately identifying individuals for the right support. Additionally, Professor Harrington as part of his second Independent Review of the WCA will be examining in detail the working of the WCA.
	Through the Work programme and associated Jobcentre Plus employment support, we will deliver a much more flexible service to disabled customers and those with health conditions, whatever benefit they claim. Advisers will be free to assess customers' individual needs and offer the support they see fit. We will incentivise Work programme providers to focus their resources on our hardest to help customers, including those with health conditions.

Employment and Support Allowance

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases his Department has reversed employment and support allowance decisions on appeal on the basis of the medical assessment in the latest year for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: The following table provides information regarding the number of people who appeal the decision to find them fit for work following their initial work capability assessment. The number of appeals found in favour of the appellant to date is shown in the column 'Decision in favour of appellant'.
	
		
			  Work capability assessment appeals heard on 'fit for work' decision (initial assessments only) 
			  Month of claim start  Fit for work  Appeals heard (to date)  Percentage fit for work with an appeal heard (to date)  Decision in favour of appellant  DWP decision upheld  Percentage Decision in favour of appellant  Percentage DWP decision upheld 
			 October 2008 3,600 1,500 41 600 900 40 60 
			 November 2008 17,500 7,200 41 2,800 4,400 40 60 
			 December 2008 15,200 6,400 42 2,700 3,800 41 59 
			 January 2009 21,000 8,900 42 3,600 5,300 40 60 
			 February 2009 19,800 8,100 41 3,300 4,800 41 59 
			 March 2009 23,500 9,400 40 3,800 5,500 41 59 
			 April 2009 21,800 8,300 38 3,400 4,900 41 59 
			 May 2009 22,000 8,000 36 3,200 4,800 40 60 
			 June 2009 22,700 7,600 33 3,100 4,500 41 59 
			 July 2009 22,800 7,100 31 2,700 4,300 39 61 
			 August 2009 20,400 5,600 28 2,200 3,500 39 61 
			 September 2009 21,800 5,300 24 2,000 3,300 37 63 
			 October 2009 21,200 4,100 19 1,400 2,600 35 65 
			 November 2009 20,500 2,800 14 900 2,000 31 69 
			 Total 273,900 90,300 33 35,800 54,600 40 60 
		
	
	The table shows data on employment and support allowances claims up to the end of November 2009 (the earliest month where we have sufficient volumes of heard appeals) where the person claiming has been found Fit for Work, they subsequently appeal the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by Tribunals Service by the end of September 2010. This is the latest data available from Tribunals Service.
	Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard, particularly for the most recent cohorts of ESA claims, as can be observed from the declining percentage of people found fit for work who appeal in Table 3. These figures should continue to be treated as emerging findings and not final at this stage.
	This information is published by the Department on its website, and is updated quarterly. It is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca

Housing Benefit

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to pay local housing allowance directly to landlords if directed to do so by tenants.

Steve Webb: We continue to support the principle that tenants in the private rented sector should be responsible for managing their rental payments rather than having the choice of having it paid to their landlord. There are safeguards in place so that housing benefit can be paid to the landlord if the tenant is unable or unlikely to pay their rent. Benefit is also paid direct to the landlord if the tenant is in arrears by eight weeks' rent.
	From April 2011 we are widening local authority discretion to pay housing benefit direct to the landlord only if it would help the customer secure a new tenancy or remain in their current home at a reduced rent. We will work closely with local authorities to ensure this provision is used in very specific circumstances where landlords are reducing rents to a level that is affordable for customers.

Housing Benefit: Medical Examinations

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider the merits of extending the time between medical assessment for people with severe illnesses and disabilities and claiming discretionary housing benefit.

Maria Miller: Local authorities can make discretionary housing payments to people who are entitled to housing benefit or council tax benefit where the local authority considers that the person concerned is in need of further help with their housing costs. There are no other prescribed conditions of entitlement or resources tests.

Poverty

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of  (a) women and  (b) men (i) aged between 50 and 59 years and (ii) above the state pension age who are living in poverty.

Steve Webb: Estimates of poverty are published in the households below average incomes series, which uses Family Resources Survey data and the latest year for which figures are available is 2008-09.
	Poverty estimates are published for those below 60% contemporary median income, on both before and after housing measures. Both measures are included in response to the question but it should be noted that working age poverty estimates are typically quoted on a before housing cost basis whereas the most commonly used measure of pensioner poverty uses incomes after housing costs. Measuring income on an after housing costs basis is appropriate, as two thirds of pensioners own their property outright and so face lower housing costs to meet from their current income. Considering pensioners' incomes compared to others after deducting housing costs allows for more meaningful comparisons of income between working age people and pensioners, and between pensioners over time.
	
		
			  Table 1: Males and females aged between 50 and 59 years inclusive in households below 60% of median income in 2008-09 
			   Number below 60% of median income (million)  Percentage below 60% of median income 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs  Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 All aged 50-59 1.2 1.4 16 19 
			 Men 0.6 0.7 16 19 
			 Women 0.6 0.7 17 19 
			  Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Males and females above state pension age in households below 60% of median income in 2008-09 
			   Number below 60% of median income (million)  Percentage below 60% of median income 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs  Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 All over state pension age 2.3 1.8 20 16 
			 Men 0.8 0.6 18 14 
			 Women 1.5 1.2 22 17 
			 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey. 2. The estimates presented here are for the United Kingdom. 3. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication "Households Below Average Income" (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) modified equivalisation factors. 6. Proportions of working age people and pensioners in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest whole percentage point.  7. Figures have been presented on both a before housing cost and after housing cost basis. For before housing cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for after housing cost they are. 8. The Government's preferred measures of low income for pensioners are based on incomes measured after housing costs. Measuring income on an after housing costs basis is appropriate, as two thirds of pensioners own their property outright and so face lower housing costs to meet from their current income while still deriving value from their home. This is different to the current working age population and to the situation for pensioners in the past. Considering pensioners' incomes compared to others after deducting housing costs allows for more meaningful comparisons of income between working age people and pensioners, and between pensioners over time. 9. The answer excludes men aged 60-64 since they are not defined as being above state pension age nor are in the aged 50-59 group. However, table 3 (as follows) provides information for this group.  Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Males aged 60-64 inclusive in households below 60% of median income in 2008-09 
			   Number below 60% of median income (million)  Percentage below 60% of median income 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs  Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 Men aged 60-64 0.3 0.4 19 20

Poverty

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect on levels of in-work poverty of reductions in the levels of local authority budgets.

Steve Webb: The Government believe that work is the best route out of poverty for most people. We are introducing reforms over the next two Parliaments, replacing current complex system of means-tested working-age benefits and tax credits with the universal credit, an integrated payment that will ensure work always pays.
	Local authorities are independently elected and autonomous bodies. They are largely independent of central Government and are directly accountable to their electorates. It is for local authorities to decide how to set and spend their budgets, taking account of their responsibilities and duties, and to assess, where appropriate, the impact of budgetary changes.

Poverty: Disability

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the merits of undertaking a multi-dimensional assessment of the level of costs incurred by people with disabilities and its effects on levels of poverty.

Maria Miller: The Government are absolutely committed to supporting disabled people, to improving the quality of life of those facing disadvantage, and to tackling poverty by addressing the causes driving it.
	We know that disabled people face additional costs to leading full and active lives and that these costs are based on a wide range of factors. Personal independence payment, like DLA, will continue to provide a contribution towards these costs. At the heart of the new benefit will be a new, fairer, more objective assessment of individual need, and we are consulting on what information we should take into account before determining eligibility for the benefit.
	The assessment will consider an individual's ability to carry out everyday activities and participate in society. We consider it reasonable to assume that those people who are least able to participate in society because of a disability are likely, as a rule, to incur greater costs. The new assessment should therefore allow us to prioritise spend to those who face the greatest challenge and expense. As we implement the assessment we will consider the extent to which it accurately meets these aims.

Social Security Benefits: Electoral Register

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will discuss with the Deputy Prime Minister the potential effects on the completeness of the electoral register of requiring benefits claimants to be registered on the electoral register before being eligible for welfare benefits.

Maria Miller: Such a measure is not under consideration as it is likely that would be successfully challenged under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European convention on human rights (ECHR).

Social security Benefits: Glasgow

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have successfully claimed industrial injuries disability benefit for osteoarthritis in Glasgow Central constituency in each of the last three years.

Maria Miller: Osteoarthritis of the knee in coal miners, and osteoarthritis of the hip in farmers are both included within the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme.
	We do not have information on the numbers of successful claims for either disease at constituency level, but can provide the numbers of successful claims for osteoarthritis of the knee in coal miners at the national level. The number of farmers paid benefit for osteoarthritis of the hip is not currently available.
	Since the addition of osteoarthritis of the knee to the list of prescribed industrial diseases on 13 July 2009, 18,605 customers received an award of, or an increase in, industrial injuries disablement benefit.
	This information is based on an informal count by the Jobcentre Plus offices dealing with Industrial injuries disablement benefit. This information will be published in due course.

Voluntary Organisations: Finance

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2011,  Official Report, column 798W, on voluntary organisations: finance, what guidance he has made available to individuals or organisations wishing to provide services on a voluntary basis.

Chris Grayling: To date the Department has been offering guidance to groups and individuals wishing to provide a service on a voluntary basis in the following ways:
	 Work Together
	Through the delivery of Work Together, Jobcentre Plus is encouraging unemployed people to consider volunteering as a way of improving their employment prospects while they are looking for work.
	Unemployed people who are interested in volunteering will be given further information and will be signposted to:
	local organisations that have agreed to support unemployed people;
	online support; and
	to specific opportunities in their communities.
	Jobcentre Plus is working with the voluntary and community sector locally to ensure that more opportunities are available to the unemployed and particularly opportunities which will help people develop new skills.
	 Work Clubs
	Work Clubs will build on the foundations of the existing network of community-based support to provide unemployed people:
	giving practical advice and guidance for those voluntary and community organisations interested in setting up or supporting a local Work Club;
	external relations teams are promoting Work Clubs and partnership working at a local level;
	Jobcentre Plus are referring customers to appropriate Work Club opportunities where available; and
	some Work Clubs may also be able to get some limited financial help to meet some of the associated start-up costs.
	 Volunteering and benefit rules
	Jobseeker's allowance customers (and others on employment and support allowance and income support) are advised that they can do unlimited volunteering as long as they continue to meet the requirements for receipt of benefit.
	 Providing a service to DWP
	The 'Merlin Standard' has been introduced. It seeks to embed the DWP code of practice, ensuring that sub-contractors, including those from the voluntary and community sector are treated fairly by the prime contractors of our welfare to work programmes.
	Engagement events have been held across the country to bring together voluntary sector organisations with potential prime contractors for the work programme.

HEALTH

Abortion: Finance

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the contribution of the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire of 2 November 2010,  Official Report, column 896, on termination of pregnancy (information provided), whether funding for counselling women on abortion is given to abortion providers only if the abortion subsequently goes ahead.

Anne Milton: The information requested is not collected by the Department.
	All clinics and hospitals providing abortion should offer women impartial advice, including written information, medical assessment and decision making support including counselling. Services should identify those that may need additional support in decision-making and women who choose to continue with the pregnancy should be referred for antenatal care.

Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate NHS expenditure on responses to hoax calls to the emergency services in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: Information on the expenditure of responses to hoax calls made to the ambulance service is not collected centrally. An estimation of the expenditure can therefore not be made.

Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-emergency calls were made to ambulance services in each of the last three years.

Simon Burns: The number of non-emergency calls made to ambulance services is not collected centrally. However, all emergency calls made through the 999 system are prioritised as being a category 'A' (immediately life-threatening), 'B' (serious but not immediately life threatening) or a 'C' (neither immediately life threatening nor serious), and these are collected and reported centrally.
	Information on emergency calls can be found within the NHS Information Centre's annual statistical bulletin for ambulance services, which is available on their website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/Ambulance/Ambulance_Services_England_2009_10_Bulletin.pdf

Cataracts: Medical Treatments

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effects on the use of new eye lens technologies in the treatment of cataract patients using NHS services of implementation of the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: We have made no such assessment. The proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill aim to create a stronger framework for improving the quality of services, ensuring that national health service patients have access to evidence-based care through clinically led commissioning arrangements.

Continuing Care

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients are on long-term life support.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not held centrally.

Exercise

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of long-term trends in levels of physical activity in  (a) children and  (b) adults.

Anne Milton: Trend data for participation in physical activity are reported in the Health Survey for England (HSE). The results for 2008 survey showed that more boys (32%) than girls (24%) aged two to 15 years met the chief medical officer's recommendation for physical activity. New questions on children's physical activity were used in the HSE in 2008, so these data cannot be directly compared with earlier years.
	The percentage of adults achieving recommended levels of physical activity increased steadily between 1997 and 2008, from 26% to 36% for all adults.

Eyesight: Screening

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to encourage early diagnosis of eye conditions in the NHS.

Simon Burns: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy.
	Following advice from the UK NSC the Department of Health has set up the English National Screening Programme for Diabetic Retinopathy (ENSPDR) and the NHS Newborn Infant Physical Examination Screening Programme (NIPE). The ENSPDR offers all people aged 12 and over with diabetes the opportunity to be screened for diabetic retinopathy. The NIPE screening programmes offers parents the opportunity to have their babies' eyes checked shortly after birth to check for conditions such as cataracts and retinoblastoma.
	'The Healthy Child Programme from 4-19 years old' (published by the Department and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in October 2009) and the UK NSC recommend that all children between four and five years of age are screened for visual impairments.
	Free sight tests are available under the NHS to many people, including people aged 60 and over, children under 16, those aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, people on benefits, those people at particular risk of developing eye disease, and people who are registered blind or partially sighted or who have a complex spectacle prescription. Sight tests allow the opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for signs of disease and to decide whether a referral for further investigation should be made. Departmental officials worked with the organisers of National Eye Health Week to develop a new patient information leaflet, which raises awareness of eye health. The leaflet was launched to coincide with National Eye Health Week, which ran from 14-20 June 2010.
	The uptake of NHS sight tests is increasing. In 2009-10, there were 11.8 million NHS sight tests, an increase of 4.7% on 2008-09.

Food: Labelling

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his oral evidence to the Health Committee on 20 July 2010, Q39, what further discussions he has had on  (a) a legal framework for guideline daily amounts and  (b) a voluntary national traffic light system for foods; what his policy is on a national food traffic light system; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The legal framework for guideline daily amounts (GDAs) is being discussed by member states as part of negotiations on a new EU food information regulation. The United Kingdom supports the proposal for voluntary front of pack labelling with percentage GDA information on energy, fat, saturates, sugars and salt, with scope for companies to use additional forms of expression.
	Negotiations on this proposal are under way and are not expected to be completed before 2012.

General Practitioners

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the ability of patients to receive healthcare from a provider outside the designated catchment area of their GP consortia.

Simon Burns: The ability of patients to receive services outside of the 'catchment' area of the responsible general practitioner consortium will depend on local commissioning decisions for specific services and on existing contractual arrangements, and on the proposed introduction of patient choice of any willing provider (as such providers could be outside the 'catchment'). This is one of the key issues the Department has consulted on as part of the recent choice consultation. Details of how the choice offer will develop will be made in the response to choice consultation in the spring.

General Practitioners

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) criteria and  (b) measures he proposes to use to evaluate the effectiveness of the Health and Wellbeing Boards in scrutinising the GP consortia.

Paul Burstow: In response to consultation comments following the publication of "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS", we have decided that local authorities' overview and scrutiny functions will remain separate from the proposed health and wellbeing boards. We also intend to significantly extend the scrutiny powers available to councils, so that they will have the powers to scrutinise any national health service funded services, whoever provides them. Health and wellbeing boards will be responsible for agreeing joint strategies for improving health and well-being in a local area, which all partners will have a duty to regard.

General Practitioners: Waiting Lists

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the length of waiting lists to register with a GP in each  (a) region and  (b) constituency.

Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally.
	Primary care trusts have a duty to meet all reasonable requirements to provide primary medical services within their areas, including where necessary allocating patients to practices where the patient is unable to register with a practice themselves.

Health Services

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements will be in place for patients to access information about their care providers following the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill does not contain any specific provisions on this matter, and we do not believe that legislation is necessary to achieve a significant improvement in the availability of information about care providers.
	We have recently consulted on a raft of proposals for an information revolution for health and adult social care in England, which include the benefits of making available a greater range of information on all aspects of care, and from a more diverse range of sources, to help people make informed choices. We will use the responses to the consultation to develop specific plans to put our proposals into effect.

Health Services: EU Action

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to support the EU Cross-Border Health Service Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of efforts to achieve a workable directive so that citizens, health organisations and Governments have clarity about how the rules for accessing cross border health care work in practice, and also to ensure that a framework is put in place which allows member states to manage their health systems appropriately.
	The UK Government believe that the current directive text, as approved by the European Parliament, meets our negotiating aims and will therefore support adoption.

HIV Infection: Sandwell

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Sandwell borough were diagnosed with HIV in each of the last three years.

Anne Milton: The latest available information for Sandwell primary care trust (PCT), which covers Sandwell metropolitan borough council is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of new HIV diagnoses in Sandwell PCT 2007-09 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			 New HIV diagnoses 10 36 21 
			  Notes: 1. Data are new HIV diagnoses reported to the end of June 2010. 2. New diagnosis data do not necessarily reflect recently acquired infections, as patients may live for many years without diagnosis. 3. Data represent place of diagnosis, not place of residence. There is evidence that a substantial proportion of individuals are diagnosed outside of their PCT of residence. 4. Complete data for 2010 will be available from August 2011.  Source: Health Protection Agency, HIV and AIDS New Diagnoses and Death Database

Influenza: Vaccination

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the NHS is capable of providing egg-allergic patients with influenza vaccinations.

Anne Milton: The composition and method of production of seasonal influenza vaccines is primarily a matter for the vaccine manufacturers.
	All the seasonal influenza vaccines supplied to the United Kingdom for the current season were grown in eggs. Egg-allergic patients recommended to receive seasonal influenza vaccination should seek medical advice from their general practitioner (GP). The risk to the individual of not being immunised and the severity of the individual's egg allergy should be taken into account by GPs when considering whether to vaccinate. There are very few individuals who cannot receive influenza vaccine due to a history of confirmed anaphylactic reaction to any egg-containing product. In these rare cases, specialist advice should be sought with a view to immunisation under controlled conditions. In light of the reduced levels of egg protein in current seasonal influenza vaccines, the Department is aiming to review advice on the vaccination of patients with egg allergies.

Influenza: Young People

Nick Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of differentials in  (a) the incidence of hospital admissions for flu-like symptoms and  (b) mortality between (i) children aged under 16 of Pakistani or Bangladeshi origin and (ii) all such children; and whether he has commissioned research on this subject since October 2010.

Anne Milton: Routine data on the incidence of hospital admissions for flu-like symptoms are not collected by the Department or the Health Protection Agency (HPA). The HPA is unable to provide data on the ethnicity of children who have died from/with confirmed flu.

Mental Health Services: Finance

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's document, No health without mental health: a cross-Government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages of February 2011, whether the £400 million allocated to increasing patient access to mental health therapists is in addition to the £173 million for increasing patient access to mental health therapists allocated as part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme announced in February 2008.

Paul Burstow: Yes.

Mental Illness

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) children and  (b) adults have been sectioned for mental health disorders in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Burstow: Information on the number of children and adults detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 is not available broken down by age nor for the period requested. The following tables show the number of times the Act has been used to detain persons, but not the number of individuals (i.e. one person may have been detained more than once) for the latest five years for which data is available.
	
		
			  Formal admissions to NHS facilities and independent hospitals by legal status, 2005-06  to  2009-10 ,  England 
			   Total number of formal admissions 
			 2005-06 27,353 
			 2006-07 27,716 
			 2007-08 28,085 
			 2008-09 28,673 
			 2009-10 30,774 
			  Source: In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and patients subject to supervised community treatment, Annual Figures, England, 2009-10 The NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre, October 2010 
		
	
	All formal admissions to NHS facilities (including high security psychiatric hospitals) and independent hospitals registered to detain patients under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, by legal status, 2000-01 to 2004-05 (England)
	
		
			   Total formal admissions 
			 2000-01 26,632 
			 2001-02 26,209 
			 2002-03 26,403 
			 2003-04 26,208 
			 2004-05 26,752 
			  Source: In-patients formally detained in hospitals under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, England: 1994-95 to 2004-05, The NHS Information Centre, May 2006

Mental Illness

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of long-term trends in the mental health of  (a) children and  (b) adults; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The cross-Government mental health outcomes strategy 'No health without mental health', published on 2 February was informed by an assessment of both the personal and economic costs of mental health problems. The costs of treatment alone are expected to double in the next 20 years, if we do nothing.
	The strategy represents a major step forward in mainstreaming mental health and supporting the Government's important aim of achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental health. By promoting good health and intervening early we can help to prevent mental illness from developing and mitigate its effects when it does.
	The Office for National Statistics survey 'Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004' found that 9.6% of children aged five to 16 years had a clinically recognisable mental disorder.
	An estimate of future prevalence of mental health disorders was made in the King's Fund report 'Paying the Price: The cost of mental health care in 2026' published in 2008. It projected that by 2026 the number of children with conduct disorder, emotional disorder, hyperkinetic disorder and co-morbid disorders would increase by 13.3% to 687,969, up from an estimated 607,402 in 2007. The full report can be found at:
	www.scie-socialcareonline.org.uk/profile.asp?guid=b3c2917f-fac7-4eal-898b-0ff2da031fba
	The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey is a survey among adults living in private households. In 2007 16.2% of the adult population reported prevalence of any common mental health disorder (CMD) similar to 2000 (16.4%) 9.7% of the population had a prevalence of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder compared to 9.4% the previous year. The following table gives information on the most common CMD for the year 2000 and 2007 by age and sex.
	 Common mental health disorders
	
		
			  Prevalence of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder and depressive episodes in past week in 2000 and 2007 by age (16 to 74) and gender, England 
			  Percentage 
			   16 to 34  35 to 44  45 to 54  55 to 64  65 to 74  All adults 
			   2007  2000  200  2000  2007  2000  2007  2000  2007  2000  2007  2000 
			  Men 
			 Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder 7.8 6.7 7.4 9.0 8.1 7.8 6.8 6.9 3.9 3.1 7.6 7.5 
			 Depressive episodes 2.1 1.3 2.6 3.4 2.6 3.8 1.5 2.8 0.4 0.4 2.2 2.6 
			  
			  Women 
			 Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder 13.3 13.3 9.7 10.8 14.3 10.9 9.0 8.2 8.6 7.1 11.8 11.4 
			 Depressive episodes 2.2 2.7 3.2 3.4 4.9 2.8 2.2 3.0 1.6 1.0 3.0 2.9 
			  
			  All adults 
			 Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder 10.5 9.9 8.5 9.9 11.2 9.3 8.0 7.5 6.4 5.2 9.7 9.4 
			 Depressive episodes 2.2 2.0 2.9 3.4 3.7 3.3 1.9 2.9 1.0 0.7 2.6 2.8 
			  Source: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (AMPS) 2000 and 2007 by the NHS Information Centre. 
		
	
	The King's Fund report, 'Paying the Price: The cost of mental health care in 2026', estimated that the number of people with depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia disorders, bipolar disorder/related conditions, eating disorders, personality disorders, and dementia would increase from 8.04 million in 2007 to 9.19 million in 2026.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement to announce the publication of the mental health strategy given on 2 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 45-46WS.
	'No health without mental health: a cross-Government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages' and supporting documents are available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Mentalhealth/MentalHealthStrategy/index.htm

Mental Illness

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of  (a) children and  (b) young people in each region were diagnosed with mental health disorders in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: Information is not collected on the numbers of children and young people diagnosed with a mental health disorder. However, an Office for National Statistics survey for the Department of Health and the Scottish Executive in 2004 (Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, ONS, 2004) found that 9.6% of five to 16-year-olds (11.4% of boys, 7.8% of girls) had a clinically diagnosed mental disorder.

Midwives: Manpower

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bereavement midwives are employed in each primary care trust area.

Anne Milton: Bereavement midwives provide support to parents who lose a child before, during or shortly after birth. These roles are established locally and the title is not registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
	It is for employers to decide the number and skill mix of their workforce including the provision of professionals providing bereavement services.

Monitor

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely net expenditure of Monitor in each of the next 10 years.

Simon Burns: We have published estimated costs in the impact assessment for the Health and Social Care Bill(1). The costs of the new economic regulator are expected to be around £50-£70 million per year.
	This is based on benchmarking against the costs of other regulators in other sectors. Subject to legislation, Monitor's actual budget would be agreed with the Secretary of State. Monitor would also need to report annually on expenditure and demonstrate value for public money.
	(1) Note:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_123583

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's role in the provision of advice about treatments and drugs to health care providers.

Simon Burns: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) will continue to have a vital role in providing advice and guidance to health care providers and commissioners about treatments and drugs. The Health and Social Care Bill includes provision for NICE to be re-established in primary legislation.

NHS: Procurement

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether all contracts to provide health will be tendered following the implementation of the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill would not require that all contracts for national health service services in future be subject to competitive tender.
	Wherever possible, we expect competition would be driven by patient choice based on the principle that 'any willing provider' should be able to offer services to patients where they met NHS standards and accept the NHS tariffs. In other cases, we would expect competitive tender for new contracts such as where commissioners are seeking to deliver new services or on contracts expiration.

NHS: Reorganisation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the likely effect on the health care market of an NHS foundation trust being awarded a majority of commissioning contracts in one geographical area.

Simon Burns: This information is not centrally held. It would be for commissioners to initiate analysis of their markets and model their decisions based on these assessments.
	The 'health special administrator' would secure this outcome by rescuing the provider as a going concern and/or a transfer of undertaking(s) to another provider that holds a valid licence (see clause 115). However, the form of solution would vary in individual cases and could potentially involve one or both of these means.
	In addition, the Health and Social Care Bill would require that the Secretary of State make regulations on health special administration, which may include further provisions about the transfer of property of an NHS foundation trust (see clauses 116 and 117). These regulations would be subject to affirmative resolution by each House of Parliament.

NHS: Reorganisation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether a service that has been designated as a vital service such as a hospital accident and emergency department could be closed and services transferred to a private provider if it fails financially;
	(2)  whether there are any safeguards in place to prevent the transfer or sale of  (a) buildings and  (b) assets of an NHS foundation trust which enters into administration; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The proposals set out in the Health and Social Care Bill would protect patients' interests by ensuring continued access to essential national health service services where there are no alternative providers. For a particular provider, services would be designated by Monitor as subject to additional regulation ('designated services') upon application by the relevant commissioner(s) and where Monitor was satisfied that the statutory criteria had been met (see clause 69).
	In the event that the provider became insolvent, Monitor would be able to apply to the courts for an order appointing a 'health special administrator' to direct the affairs, business and property of the provider so as to secure the ongoing provision of 'designated services'.

NHS: Standards

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect implementation of the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill will have on the future of central targets relating to waiting times for referral from GPs to the point of treatment.

Simon Burns: Implementation of the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill will enable the national health service to focus on quality and the results that matter to patients-such as how successful their treatment was. Targets that benefit patients such as the cancer waiting time standards have been retained.
	The rights for patients to start treatment within maximum waiting times remain in the NHS constitution. This combined with information on the quality of patients' experiences and outcomes will inform patients' choices of where they want to be treated and drive further improvement in quality and waiting times.

Ophthalmic Services

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of NHS spending on commissioning ophthalmic services was in each primary care trust area in each of the last 10 years.

Simon Burns: Financial returns and end year accounts collected centrally from primary care trusts (PCTs) do not separately identify expenditure on ophthalmic services, with the exception of the General Ophthalmic Service which funds the provision of national health service sight tests and NHS optical vouchers to eligible patient groups. However, since 2003-04 PCTs have participated in the national Programme Budget Project where they produce estimates of their total expenditure categorised into each of 23 health care programmes. This includes a category for expenditure on problems of vision to cover all services relating to the eye and vision. Information on programme budget estimates for expenditure on problems of vision in each PCT in the period 2003-04 to 2009-10 has been placed in the Library.

Primary Care Trusts: Buildings

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which buildings used by primary care trusts have been constructed under his Department's Local Improvement Finance Trust scheme.

Simon Burns: Primary care trusts use 243 of the 244 buildings constructed under the Department's Local Improvement Finance Trust initiative. A list of buildings currently open to patients has been placed in the Library.

Prostate Cancer

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the awareness among general practitioners of the information contained in the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme.

Paul Burstow: When the prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP) was relaunched in July 2009, all general practitioners (GPs) in England were sent a copy of the revised information pack along with a covering letter from the chief medical officer. The relaunch was also highlighted in the Department of Health's GP Bulletin. At the same time NHS Cancer Screening Programmes ran a GP communications campaign which included a medical press launch; a web cast; a slide set; a British Medical Journal e-learning module; and linking the PCRMP materials to GP information technology systems.
	Despite this, we know that some GPs are still not aware of the programme or a man's right to a free prostate specific antigen test, providing he has made an informed choice following a GP consultation and consideration of the PCRMP leaflet.
	That is why "Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer" published in January 2011 sets out how the UK National Screening Committee has recommended further education of GPs through the PCRMP. This work is being taken forward by the PCRMP Scientific Reference Group, which next meets in March 2011.

Prostate Cancer

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency admissions there were for men with a primary diagnosis of prostate cancer in  (a) England,  (b) each strategic health authority area,  (c) each primary care trust area and  (d) each parliamentary constituency in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: The information is not collected in the format requested.
	Information regarding counts of all emergency finished admission episodes for men where the primary diagnosis was prostate cancer has been placed in the Library.
	The information has been provided for England, and by strategic health authority, primary care trust and parliamentary constituency of residence in England for 2009-10, the most recent year for which information is available. There were 6,269 emergency finished admission episodes in England, where the primary diagnosis was prostate cancer.
	This is not a count of the number of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.

Prostate Cancer

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men had a prostate-specific antigen test administered to them in  (a) England,  (b) each primary care trust area and  (c) each constituency in each year since 1997-98.

Paul Burstow: The Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme (PCRMP) is in place to ensure that men without symptoms of prostate cancer considering a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test are given information concerning the benefits, limitations and risks associated with having a test. If a man still wants a PSA test after a general practitioner consultation and consideration of an informed choice leaflet, he should be offered one free on the national health service.
	The UK National Screening Committee has asked the Prostate Cancer Advisory Group to explore options for making the PCRMP information more accessible to men to ensure that men are informed about the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer and empowered to request a PSA test if they want one.
	The requested information is not centrally collected.

Public Health: Finance

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what date he expects funding for public health activities determined on the basis of figures included in the provisional formula grant settlement announcement for 2011-12 to be distributed to local authorities.

Anne Milton: As set out in the White Paper "Healthy Lives, Healthy People: Our Strategy for Public Health in England", from April 2013 Public Health England will allocate ring-fenced budgets, weighted for inequalities, to upper-tier and unitary authorities in local government for improving the health and wellbeing of local populations. Local authorities will not be receiving a grant for public health activities in 2011-12.
	There will be shadow allocations to local authorities for this budget in 2012-13, providing an opportunity for planning before allocations go live in 2013-14 and an opportunity to evaluate the allocations process.

Public Health: Finance

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on tackling health inequalities through the allocation of funding for public health.

Simon Burns: From April 2013, upper tier and unitary local authorities will receive a new ring-fenced public health grant, in order to improve the health of their local population. The size of the ring-fenced grant will be based on relative population health need and weighted for inequalities. Apart from mandatory services, it will be for local authorities to determine how best to invest this funding to meet local priorities. We are consulting on the approach to developing the allocations.
	The new health premium will be designed to incentivise action to reduce health inequalities and reward progress in improving the health of the local population, based on elements of the Public Health Outcomes Framework. We will develop the formula for the health premium in an open and transparent way and are consulting on both the Public Health Outcomes Framework and the approach we should take to the premium itself in order to get the detail right, ensuring that it is fair, rewards areas for their achievements, and incentivises reductions in health inequalities.

Public Health: Regulation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his proposals for regulations under the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill in respect of the public health functions of the Secretary of State which he will require local authorities to exercise.

Anne Milton: The timing of regulations arising from the Health and Social Care Bill will depend on the passage of the Bill and the timing of Royal Assent, as well as on the nature of the regulations in question. Under current plans, regulations concerning the exercise of public health functions by local authorities would not take effect before April 2013.

WALES

Electoral Systems

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what costs her Department has incurred in respect of provision of information to the electorate on the  (a) operation of and  (b) voting system for the National Assembly for Wales since the creation of the Assembly; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The Wales Office has no record of incurring costs since the creation of the National Assembly for Wales in respect of providing information to the public on the operation of, and voting system for, the Assembly.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Society of Local Authority Chief Executives

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies provided to the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and its associated companies in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Bob Neill: The amount paid to the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) and its associated companies by the Department for Communities and Local Government, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies, and other arm's length bodies is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   2008-09  2009-10 
			 DCLG, agencies and NDPBs 38,001.95 45,434.80 
			 Ordnance Survey 70,500.00 70,000.00 
			 Audit Commission 8,950.00 10,721.00 
			 Total 117,451.95 126,155.80

Audit Commission: Motor Vehicles

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Audit Commission spent on payments made for early termination of car lease arrangements for its staff in the 24 months to May 2010.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	 Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 8 February 2011:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	Between 1 June 2008 and 31 May 2010, £12863.96 was paid in early termination fees in respect of 22 cars.
	We have a clear policy for dealing with cars if a member of staff leaves the Audit Commission before the end of their car lease. The car is normally reallocated to a new driver. We only terminate leases on vehicles where it is cheaper than incurring additional maintenance, storage and other costs pending reallocation.
	Unallocated lease cars stay in our pool for about two months. We estimate net savings of approximately £7,000 on surrender of the leases.

Carbon Monoxide: Alarms

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to require all landlords to fit carbon monoxide alarms to rented accommodation.

Andrew Stunell: There are no plans to require landlords to install carbon monoxide monitors in privately rented properties. Our priority is to prevent exposure to carbon monoxide in the first place. Carbon monoxide detectors and alarms will never be a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of combustion appliances.
	Landlords are responsible for maintaining their properties, including the safety of gas and electrical appliances and must arrange for an annual maintenance check of gas pipe work, appliances and flues. This should be carried out by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register.

Carbon Monoxide: Alarms

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward proposals to require landlords to install carbon monoxide monitors in their properties.

Andrew Stunell: There are no plans to require landlords to install carbon monoxide monitors in privately rented properties. Our priority is to prevent exposure to carbon monoxide in the first place. Carbon monoxide detectors and alarms will never be a substitute for proper installation and maintenance of combustion appliances.
	Landlords are responsible for maintaining their properties, including the safety of gas and electrical appliances and must arrange for an annual maintenance check of gas pipe work, appliances and flues. This should be carried out by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register.

Community Centres

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many community centres were in operation in each of the last 10 years.

Andrew Stunell: The information requested is not held by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Community Development

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on social cohesion in communities in traditional steel working and coal mining areas.

Bob Neill: The Department has not commissioned specific research on social cohesion in traditional steel working areas nor in relation to coal mining areas. In 2007 the Department published an interim evaluation of coalfields regeneration programmes in England. This study assessed progress made in regenerating the former coal mining areas and included some consideration of community-related outcomes such as community empowerment, development and cohesion.

Council Tax

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many properties in England are registered for council tax.

Bob Neill: As at 13 September 2010 there were 22.1 million properties in England that were liable for council tax.
	This information is available in table 1 of the statistical release local authority council taxbase 2010 that was published on 18 November 2010 and is available on the DCLG website
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/counciltaxbase/

Council Tax: Valuation

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of revaluing each dwelling in  (a) England and  (b) Wales for council tax purposes.

Bob Neill: In a written ministerial statement on 11 October 2010, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State informed the House that, on 23 September, along with the Exchequer Secretary, he had confirmed that the Government will not carry out a council tax revaluation in England during the lifetime of this Parliament. My Department has therefore not estimated the cost of revaluing each dwelling in England for council tax purposes. Council tax in Wales is a matter devolved to the Welsh Assembly Government.
	Notwithstanding, I note that the cost of the 2005 council tax revaluation in Wales was publicly estimated to be £5.2 million by the last administration(1).
	The (postponed, and now cancelled) council tax revaluation in England was publicly estimated by the last administration to cost between £177 million to £200 million(2). These figures are not expressed in current terms.
	 Sources:
	(1) 7 July 2009,  Official Report, column 775W
	(2) 5 July 2005,  Official Report, column 298W

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many special advisers there were in his Department in each year since it was created.

Bob Neill: The number of special advisers within the Department varies within each year (as appointments sometimes overlap). The following numbers represent the number there were for the majority of each year.
	2006: three
	2007: three
	2008: three
	2009: three
	2010: three (pre-election)
	2010-11: two (post-election).

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what public appointments he has made since his appointment; and to what payments each person so appointed is entitled.

Bob Neill: Since his appointment, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has made 15 new appointments, including reappointments, to the Department's arm's length bodies, and granted, with the approval of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, nine extensions to appointees of our arm's length bodies. The details are as follows:
	 The Audit Commission
	Brian Landers, Janet Baker and Tony Harris were appointed as Commissioners to the Board of the Audit Commission. The appointments will cover the period from 1 November up until 31 December 2012. The Commissioners will be paid £14,358 per annum based on a time commitment of three days per month. A press release is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1765249
	Lord Adebowale of Thornes and Bharat Shah agreed to serve a second term as Commissioners on the Board until the end of 2012. Further details of these reappointments are included in a press release available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1707764
	Jennifer Dixon agreed to continue to serve as a Commissioner on the Board until the end of 2012, further details of this extension are included in the press release covering the new appointments above.
	Lord Adebowale and Ms Dixon will be paid £14,358 per annum based on a time commitment of three days per month. As Deputy Chair of the Commission's board, Mr Shah will be paid £23,931 per annum based on a time commitment of five days per month.
	 Architects Registration Board
	Beatrice Fraenkel has agreed to serve a further term until 31 December 2013 and Myra Kinghorn has agreed to serve a further term until 31 March 2014. Their remuneration is £250 per day.
	 Building Regulations Advisory Committee
	Tracy Aarons, Keith Bright, Nicholas Cullen, Trevor Haynes, Adrian Levett and Andrew Shipley have all agreed to serve a further term until 30 September 2013. Lynne Sullivan has agreed to serve a further term until 31 January 2012.
	These appointments are not remunerated.
	As already announced, the two Thames Gateway Development Corporations are to be reformed by way of devolution to local government. As part of this, their boards will be streamlined with a remit to focus on their remaining activity and oversee the local projects.
	The Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation's board will comprise the Chair, Deputy Chair and seven members. The Commissioner for Public Appointments has agreed to the extension of the appointments of the chair, Will McKee, deputy chair Bill Samuel, and members Sunny Crouch and Chris Paveley, to 31 July 2012, and member Martin Leigh-Pollitt to 31 March 2012. Remuneration and time commitment:
	Will McKee: £48,897 per annum (two days per week)
	Bill Samuel: £36,732 per annum (two days per week)
	Sunny Crouch: £12,364 per annum (three days per month)
	Chris Paveley: £12,364 per annum (three days per month
	Martin Leigh-Pollitt: £12,364 per annum (three days per month).
	The London Thames Gateway Development Corporation's board will comprise the chair and 10 members. The Commissioner for Public Appointments has agreed to the extension of the appointments of members Councillors Conor McAuley, Guy Nicholson and Michael White to 31 March 2012. The Minister for the Thames Gateway has agreed to the reappointment of Stan Hornagold to 31 March 2012. Remuneration and time commitment:
	Cllr Conor McAuley: £12,121 per annum (three days per month)
	Cllr Guy Nicholson: £12,121 per annum (three days per month)
	Cllr Michael White: £ 12,121 per annum (three days per month)
	Stan Hornagold: £12,121 per annum (three days per month).

Departmental Public Expenditure

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on consultancy since May 2010.

Bob Neill: Records show that the Department has spent £12,736,627 on consultancy from 1 May 2010 to 31 December 2010. A significant proportion of this expenditure relates to contractual arrangements put in place by the last administration, including FiReControl.
	Furthermore, and to put this in context, in the last financial year, April 2009 to March 2010, records showed a spend of £36,558,000.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on redecorating Ministerial offices since May 2010.

Bob Neill: There has been no expenditure on redecorating ministerial offices since May 2010.
	To put this in context, the costs of redecorating Ministers' Offices for previous years are as follows:
	 2008-09
	£324.00-Repainting M. Beckett's Office November 2008.
	 2009-10
	£287.36-Repainting Secretary of State's Office June 2009.
	 2010-11
	£928.85-In the intervening period between the announcement of the general election and before the formation of the coalition Government, the opportunity was taken to refresh paintwork in a number of ministerial Offices. This expenditure, by definition, was not authorised by Ministers in the new administration.

Devolution

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what payments his Department has made to consultants in respect of work on devolution since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: This information is not held centrally and could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

Housing: Brighton

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were built in Brighton, Kemptown constituency in the last five years for which figures are available.

Andrew Stunell: Data on house building are not collected by parliamentary constituency. However, the following table shows the number of new build housing completions in Brighton and Hove unitary authority each year from 2005-06 to 2009-10.
	
		
			  Brighton and Hove city council UA 
			   Number of new- build dwellings completed 
			 2005-06 250 
			 2006-07 380 
			 2007-08 690 
			 2008-09 360 
			 2009-10 240 
			  Source: P2 returns from local authorities and data from NHBC

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps he has taken to require new housing developments to be low-carbon.

Grant Shapps: The coalition agreement committed this Government to making continuous improvements in the energy efficiency of new buildings. Last year, we introduced revisions to the building regulations which require higher levels of energy efficiency, and we have announced plans to make a further revision in 2013. I updated the House in December on progress with our plans to enable all new homes to be zero carbon from 2016.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that measures to reduce carbon emissions in new properties are financially worthwhile for builders of new homes.

Grant Shapps: As technology and building methods improve, the costs of measures to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency in new homes will increasingly fall to the benefit of both builders and buyers of new homes. Energy efficiency measures which reduce carbon will also lead to lower fuel bills which will improve the attractiveness of new homes. By setting a long-term goal to enable new homes to be zero carbon from 2016, the Government are creating the conditions for industry to innovate and develop cost saving solutions.

Housing: Construction

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on planning conditions which permit the construction of residential annexes to domestic properties.

Bob Neill: The construction of residential annexes to domestic properties may be undertaken without the need for planning permission where the development meets the limits and conditions set out in the legislation governing permitted development. Under Schedule 2, Part 1, Class E of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended by Statutory Instrument 2008 No. 2362), development of such an annex is permitted within the curtilage of a dwelling house as long as its use is incidental to the enjoyment of the house. Where such a development does not meet the limits and conditions set out in the legislation, an application for planning permission will need to be made to the local planning authority.

Local Government Finance

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the levels of their financial reserves.

Bob Neill: I refer the hon. Member to a letter sent by the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Andrew Stunell), to local authorities on 27 January 2011. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

Motor Vehicles: Sales

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what powers are available to local councils to prevent the commercial  (a) repair and  (b) sale on public roads of fully-taxed vehicles.

Bob Neill: Section 3 of part 2 of the 'Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005' makes selling and repairing cars on the road by way of business a specific offence. Also, local authorities in England and Wales can adopt provisions in the 'Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982' whereby they can designate streets as prohibited for street trading purposes, or as licence or consent streets where permission must be obtained to trade. Section 75 of the 'Road Traffic Act 1988' makes it an offence to sell, supply or offer to sell or supply, or expose for sale an unroadworthy vehicle.

Non-Domestic Rates

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the merits of extending the concession allowing empty rates to be waived for properties with a rateable value of less than £18,000 per annum until economic growth returns to its long-term trend.

Bob Neill: The Government's ability to take action on empty property rates needs to be balanced against the costs involved, the targeted support that we have already provided on business rates and the overriding need to reduce public expenditure and support the economy generally by reducing the deficit.
	Unfortunately, taking these matters into consideration, support for empty property rate measures for 2011-12 is unaffordable. As I outlined in my written statement of 13 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 61-62WS, it would cost £400 million to continue with the temporary empty rates measure, which unfortunately is not fiscally sustainable given the public finances that the new Government have inherited from the last administration.
	However, while the Government have no immediate plans for reforms, we are certainly keeping this matter under review.

Schools: Construction

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish his Department's response to its consultation on planning for schools development.

Bob Neill: The Government ran a consultation on planning for schools development, which closed on 10 December. We are currently considering responses and will publish our response thereafter.

Sports: Finance

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely effect on local sport and leisure facilities of reductions in grants to local authorities.

Bob Neill: It is for local authorities to decide on their spending priorities. In total, local authorities will have greater control over more than £7 billion of funding from 2011-12 which is moving into formula grant, being unringfenced or is new funding for the spending review period, so enabling them to better meet local communities' needs.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Elections

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will assess the relationship between turnout in national and local elections and levels of social capital;
	(2)  to ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will assess the relationship between levels of social capital in each socio-economic grouping and turnout at elections.

Mark Harper: The Government have no plans to carry out such an assessment.
	Research that has been undertaken relating to turnout and engagement in elections, for example, by the Electoral Commission and the Hansard Society, has found that a range of factors will impact upon turnout at elections including socio-economic factors.
	The Government are committed to engaging the electorate in elections and wider democratic activity. The Government's programme of political and constitutional reform aims to restore people's trust in our political system.

Elections: Machine Ballot Counting

Philip Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of consultancy reports held by his Office on the efficacy and reliability of machine ballot counting in regional and local government elections.

Mark Harper: The Government have not commissioned any consultancy reports on the overall efficacy and reliability of machine counting of ballots in respect of regional and local government elections.
	The Electoral Commission evaluated and reported on each of the individual pilots, approved under the previous Government, that utilised electronic counting of ballots in England in May 2007. These evaluations included technical reports on each pilot as well as an overall technical report. The Commission also utilised consultants to complete a report on the use of electronic counting at the Greater London Authority elections in May 2008. These reports are all publicly available on the Electoral Commission's website.
	Other reports that refer to the use of electronic counting in 2007 and earlier years, in English local elections, Scottish parliamentary and local elections and Greater London authority elections, have also been produced by the Commission and the Greater London authority and are available on their websites.

Primary Elections

Jon Trickett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 1 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 766-7W, on primary elections, whether he plans to make an announcement on all-postal primaries after the boundaries review.

Mark Harper: As my answer of 1 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 766-7W, set out, we will make further details available once we have considered the impact of the significant changes being made to our electoral process under the Government's programme of political and constitutional reform.

Tibet: Human Rights

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2011,  Official Report, column 195W, on Tibet: human rights, what the response was of Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on the issue of human rights in Tibet.

Nicholas Clegg: When I met Vice Premier Li, I reiterated the Government's policy on Tibet. I made clear that we have concerns about the protection of human rights in China and in Tibet specifically.
	Vice Premier Li said that China was working towards ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and recognized the universality of human rights. But national conditions had to be taken into account. He said that significant reform was under way in China but that progress in these areas would take time.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Storage

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on the first carbon capture and storage demonstration project.

Charles Hendry: The Front End Engineering and Design studies for the first Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project are nearing completion. Negotiations are progressing. Depending on the quality and value for money of Scottish Power's detailed solution, we hope to award a contract in the second half of 2011.

Climate Change

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what definition of the term global temperatures he uses.

Gregory Barker: The term 'global temperatures' is commonly used and taken here to mean global average, annual, near-surface temperatures. This is estimated by combining statistically the National Meteorological Services' accredited climate station data with sea surface temperatures measured by shipping and buoys. These data are analysed independently by several centres and the resulting 'global temperature series' show very close agreement.

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which persons not employed by Government departments or agencies hold passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises.

Gregory Barker: Passes may be issued to those who are required to make frequent visits to specific Government sites, subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide details of individuals who hold such passes.

Electricity Generation: Infrastructure

Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many individual responses his Department has received to the consultation on the revised draft National Policy Statement on electricity networks (EN 5).

Charles Hendry: Of the responses we received to the consultation on the revised draft National Policy Statements for Energy, 1,518 respondents chose to comment on the statement on Electricity Networks Infrastructure (EN-5).

Energy

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on take-up of  (a) energy efficient products and  (b) measures eligible for Green Deal funding of the applications of differing rates of value added tax; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The rates of value added tax for different products and measures is a consideration for Her Majesty's Treasury.
	We are aware that a wide range of factors can influence the uptake of energy efficiency products and measures. In recent years, the carbon emissions reduction target has been successful in promoting their take up across over three million households through full and substantial part subsidies.
	Subject to the progress of the Energy Bill, Green Deal will further drive the uptake of measures which can pay for themselves through energy bill savings. This principle means that consumers can benefit from energy efficiency improvements at no upfront cost.

Energy: International Cooperation

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what agreements were reached on energy and climate change at the Nordic Baltic Summit.

Gregory Barker: The UK Nordic Baltic summit brought together policy makers, business, and civil society leaders from nine countries with the aim of sharing ideas about how best to boost economic growth, enterprise, and job creation while improving people's well-being.
	In the area of green economy and sustainable business, the Prime Minister attended a series of presentations, and took part in wider discussions, outlining innovative ideas from across the Nordic Baltic region in areas such as supergrids, smartgrids, and eco bonds. The Government are committed to promoting the transition to a low carbon economy in the UK and the EU, and believe that this region can be at the forefront of such a transition. The Prime Minister gave his backing to plans for a European supergrid, giving further momentum to work in this area. The Government are already an active participant in the North Seas Offshore Grid initiative, which is looking at the potential for greater interconnection of electricity networks across the whole region. This will be a cornerstone of the transition to a low carbon energy sector.

Energy: Meters

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what stakeholder  (a) engagement and  (b) analysis his Department is carrying out on smart metering; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: Since the Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus was published for consultation in July 2010, the Programme has carried out extensive stakeholder engagement. This has included stakeholder briefing events, expert groups, workshops and multilateral evidence gathering sessions, plus bilateral meetings with a wide range of stakeholders and industry associations. We are very grateful for the intensive engagement from all stakeholders.
	Information regarding the smart meter Programme is also available on the DECC and Ofgem websites.
	Engagement to date has been informed by detailed stakeholder analysis. The Programme has canvassed stakeholders' views of our communications methods through surveys and bilateral meetings, using responses to help us refine and improve our communications.
	The Programme is now preparing a response to the consultation and will launch the next phase of the programme, in which continued active engagement with all stakeholders will be vital.

Energy: Meters

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department plans to publish the proposals arising from its consultation on the Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus.

Charles Hendry: The Government aim to publish their response to the Smart Metering Implementation Programme Prospectus Consultation around the end of March:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/

Liquefied Petroleum Gas: Prices

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the relationship between price fluctuations and market considerations in the pricing structure of the domestic liquefied petroleum gas market.

Charles Hendry: The price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is influenced by a range of factors which include refinery capacity, stock levels, distribution costs, retail margins and exchange rates.
	The UK has open and competitive markets for LPG. In a competitive market, prices are determined by costs faced by companies. As such, prices fluctuates with changes in costs. I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I made on 21 January 2011,  Official Report, column 55WS. I am keen that the reasons for high prices and supply issues this winter are thoroughly investigated by an independent authority. I wrote to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to ask it to bring forward its competition and consumer study into off-grid energy. I also asked the OFT if the study could explore the longer term consumer issues such as lifetime payback, consumer standards and labelling for alternative energy sources or supplies. Such a study would provide an independent assessment of the off-grid market and establish what further action may be necessary to ensure it works properly.
	I welcome the independent assessment of the off-grid market to be made by the OFT, and we look forward to seeing its conclusions in advance of next winter so that the lessons from this winter can be learned and any necessary changes made.

Natural Gas: Drilling

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he or officials of his Department have had recent discussions on the legislative and regulatory framework relating to drilling for shale gas and coal bed methane with  (a) Ministers in the devolved administrations and  (b) Ministerial colleagues.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials have regular contact with other Government Departments on a range of issues. I have scheduled a meeting with the Minister for Natural Environment and Fisheries, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon), to discuss the issue, and intend to undertake a visit to Cuadrilla's operations in Blythe in the coming weeks.

Power Stations: Construction

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what account he has taken of competition law in his proposal for a capacity payment to encourage the construction of reserve plants.

Charles Hendry: The Electricity Market Reform (EMR) project is under consultation and has yet to confirm whether a capacity mechanism is definitely necessary, and if so which type would best meet the nation's needs.
	Implementation of any EMR policy decision will follow due process, and the impacts on competition carefully considered throughout. Competition will also be considered by Ofgem in its review of the wholesale market's liquidity, which is expected to reach a conclusion in the spring.

Renewable Energy

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many  (a) anaerobic digestion,  (b) pyrolysis and  (c) gasification producers and project developers have (i) been written to and (ii) responded as part of his Department's initiative to assess the deployment potential and generation costs of the renewable electricity targets.

Charles Hendry: The number of anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and gasification producers and project developers who have been written to and responded as part of the Renewables Obligation Banding Review 2013 are given in the following table. For the purposes of the Banding Review, pyrolysis and gasification are classified as advanced conversion technologies, and are reflected in the table as such.
	
		
			  Number 
			   Written to  Responded 
			 Anaerobic digestion 30 12 
			 Advanced conversion technologies 17 6 
		
	
	Several trade associations with interests in these technologies, including the Renewable Energy Association and the Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, are also contributing to the review.
	Other organisations with an interest in the Banding Review are welcome to contact DECC, either now or as part of the statutory consultation later this year.

Solar Power

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many solar parks  (a) have received planning permission and been constructed and  (b) are awaiting a planning decision on (i) agricultural land, (ii) greenfield sites and (iii) brownfield sites.

Gregory Barker: The Department does not routinely collect these data. However, data obtained from RESTATS:
	https://restats.decc.gov.uk/cms/welcome-to-the-restats-web-site
	and Cornwall county council shows six solar park projects have received planning permission since the establishment of the FITs scheme on 15 July 2010. Data from Cornwall county council also show 11 awaiting planning decision.
	The data are not consistently broken down as requested.

Utilities: Fees and Charges

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the merits of establishing a legal obligation on energy companies to provide a rebate on billed gas and electricity costs for families with children in receipt of child tax credit on incomes of £16,190 per annum or less; and whether he has discussed such a proposal with representatives of energy companies.

Gregory Barker: The coalition Government has recently consulted on the Warm Home Discount scheme which would require energy suppliers to provide financial assistance to more of their most vulnerable consumers.
	A response on the consultation will be published in due course.

Water Power

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on creating a network of marine energy parks.

Gregory Barker: The coalition is committed to supporting the growth of the marine energy sector in the UK. As part of this we are looking at how infrastructure such as marine energy parks can contribute to this by encouraging the clustering of expertise and industrial activity.
	In collaboration with the sector and key partners we are developing a UK-wide marine energy programme to address the barriers to marine energy. The first meeting of the Marine Energy Programme Board which will oversee the process was held in Exeter on the 31 January. At the meeting I stated that I consider that the south-west, with its excellent marine resource, R and D capabilities and marine energy infrastructure, could be a prime candidate to be at the forefront of developing marine energy parks.

Wind Power

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects wind power to achieve commercial viability.

Charles Hendry: We expect that over time we will be able to reduce support for wind power and other renewable energy technologies as they become more economic, but it is not possible to put a specific timescale on this. The future point at which wind power does not require revenue support will depend on a number of factors, including future wholesale electricity prices, technology costs and the relative costs of alternatives to wind (including the carbon price). Our upcoming White Paper on Electricity Market Reform will set out our proposals for incentivising investment in low-carbon generation.

Wind Power

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the total subsidy to wind power that will be necessary for it to become commercially viable.

Charles Hendry: It is not feasible to make a robust estimate of the total subsidies to wind power that will be necessary for it to be commercially viable without support. It would depend on a number of factors including when this occurs and the support mechanism. When this occurs will itself depend on factors including the speed at which wind costs fall (related to the degree of technological learning, commodity prices and supply chain development), future wholesale electricity prices and the relative costs of alternatives to wind.
	The renewables obligation (RO) is currently the Government's main mechanism for incentivising large scale renewable deployment. Between its introduction in April 2002 and March 2010 it has provided approximately £2.2 billion in 2010-11 prices of support to wind power.
	Evidence is currently being gathered to inform the renewables obligation banding levels from 2013-17, and we are also consulting on electricity market reform, including the introduction of feed-in tariffs with contract-for-difference for low-carbon generation, and premium payments as a credible alternative.

Wind Power: North Sea

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many submissions his Department received in response to the application for a wind farm at Westermost Rough; and how many were  (a) supportive of and  (b) opposed to the application.

Charles Hendry: The Department has received 19 representations about the Westermost Rough consent application. Seven respondents have opposed the proposed project: there have been no specific responses expressing support for the proposal.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average time taken by his Department was to make a decision in respect of a proposal for a wind farm after an application was made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 in the latest period for which figures are available.

Charles Hendry: In the period from 1 January 2005 to date, the average time for determining Section 36 applications for onshore and offshore wind farms was 29 months.

Fuel Oil

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of levels of competition in the domestic oil market; and if he will undertake a review of  (a) pricing and  (b) transport and delivery costs.

Charles Hendry: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I gave on 21 January 2011,  Official Report, column 55WS, concerning the off-grid energy market. I am keen that the reasons for the high prices and supply issues affecting domestic consumers are thoroughly investigated by an independent authority. I therefore wrote to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to ask it to bring forward its competition and consumer study into off-grid energy, and asked the OFT if the study could explore the longer term consumer issues such as lifetime payback, consumer standards and labelling for alternative energy sources or supplies. Such a study would provide an independent assessment of the off-grid market and establish what further action may be necessary to ensure it works properly.
	I welcome the independent assessment of the off-grid market to be made by the OFT, and look forward to seeing its conclusions in advance of next winter so the lessons from this winter can be learned and any necessary changes made.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many asylum seekers of each sex were subject to the detained fast track asylum process in each year for which figures are available; and how many asylum seekers of each sex applied for asylum in each such year;
	(2)  how many asylum seekers of each sex subject to the detained fast track process were moved to the standard asylum process in each year for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  Total asylum intake and applications( 1) accepted into the detained fast track process broken down by gender by year of application 2006-10 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			   Total  DFT  Total  DFT  Total  DFT  Total  DFT  Total  DFT 
			 Male 16594 1565 16537 897 18674 1283 1658 1674 12736 2061 
			 Female 6994 463 6809 523 7285 517 7930 510 5268 531 
			 Totals 23588 2028 23346 1420 25959 1800 24498 2184 18004 2592 
			 (1) Data provided is based on main applicant, first time applications 
		
	
	
		
			  Applications( 1) rerouted from the detained fast tract process into the standard asylum process broken down by gender, by year of application 2006-10 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Male 430 274 371 553 618 
			 Female 180 227 229 247 237 
			 Totals 610 501 600 800 855 
			 (1) Data provided is based on main applicant, first time applications  Note: All figures quoted are internal management information only and are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.

Asylum

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what interim benchmarks the UK Border Agency unit dealing with older unresolved asylum cases is using to ensure progress towards its summer 2011 target date.

Damian Green: The Agency uses benchmarks that come from the various throughput models that have been in place during Case Resolution Directorate's lifespan. These have evolved throughout the programme of work to conclude the legacy backlog alongside monitoring the types of outcomes and forecasts for the future. These have been updated at regular intervals.

Asylum

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of asylum seekers who have not immediately reported themselves to the authorities to claim asylum on entering the UK in each year for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The following table shows the number of in-country asylum applications received in the UK in each year for which figures are available. These figures may include:
	applications which were not made immediately on arrival, but were made at the first practical opportunity; and
	applications from individuals who held a valid immigration status when entering the UK.
	The exact information requested could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.
	Further information on asylum applications are published monthly, quarterly and annually in the Control of Immigration bulletins and monthly asylum applications tables available from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  In-country asylum applications( 1)  received in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, 1984 to Quarter 3 2010 
			   Applications in-country 
			 1984 2,550 
			 1985 2,705 
			 1986 3,015 
			 1987 3,055 
			 1988 3,140 
			 1989 5,440 
			 1990 17,200 
			 1991 35,815 
			 1992 16,930 
			 1993 15,050 
			 1994 22,600 
			 1995 29,555 
			 1996 17,205 
			 1997 15,915 
			 1998 22,670 
			 1999 41,700 
			 2000 54,380 
			 2001 46,160 
			 2002 57,570 
			 2003 35,685 
			 2004 26,410 
			 2005 21,485 
			 2006 20,030 
			 2007 19,795 
			 2008 23,210 
			 2009(2) 22,475 
			 Q1 toQ3 2010(2) 11,920 
			 (1) Figures rounded to the nearest five. (2) Provisional figures.

Control Orders

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the time taken to reply to question 33326, on control orders, tabled on 10 January 2011 for named day answer on 13 January 2011; and whether her Department routinely keeps statistics on  (a) the number of control orders issued and  (b) the number of those subject to control orders and subsequently charged with offences relating to terrorism.

Nick Herbert: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 7 February 2011,  Official Report, column 35W.

Departmental Libraries

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) certified and  (b) chartered librarians her Department has employed in each year since 2000.

Damian Green: The information requested is not held for each year since 2000. Our current records show that there are eight staff members in the Home Office who are employed as librarians.
	These staff are required to have a Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) recognised qualification in library and information management, graduate or post-graduate qualification in library and information management or records management, it is not a requirement to have Chartered status.
	The Home Office may also employ further staff members with these qualifications in roles that do not require these skills specifically and hence records are not kept of their numbers.

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which persons not employed by Government Departments or agencies hold passes entitling them to enter her Department's premises.

Damian Green: Passes may be issued to those who are required to make frequent visits to the Home Office Headquarters, subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide details of individuals who hold such passes.

Entry Clearances: Married People

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many spouse visas were refused on grounds of failure to meet the maintenance requirements set out in paragraph 281 (section 8) of the Immigration Rules in each year since 1997; how many spouse visas were refused as a result of implementation of the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 in each year since 2007; and what estimate she has made of the proportion of applicants who were interviewed by entry clearance officers before being granted a spouse visa in each year since 2005.

Damian Green: The information requested by the right hon. Member regarding unsuccessful spouse visa applications is not held centrally and could be obtained by checking individual records only at a disproportionate cost.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students from outside the European Economic Area were  (a) admitted into the UK on study visas and  (b) granted post-study work visas in 2009-10.

Damian Green: The latest available information is given in the following table. The table shows statistics for a) student admissions (excluding dependants and student visitors) in 2009 and b) entry clearance visas issued and grants of leave to remain in the United Kingdom under the tier 1-post study route (excluding dependants) 2009 to Q3 2010.
	
		
			  Out of country visas to the United Kingdom issued, admissions and in country extensions of leave( 1, 2) , by selected category, excluding dependants, 2009 to Q3 2010( 4) 
			  Category  2009  2010 January to September 
			  Students admitted to the UK (excluding Student visitors)( 4)   
			 Students 82,100 (8)- 
			 Tier 4 188,000 (8)- 
			  Tier 1-post study( 5,6)   
			 Out of country visas issued(7) 4,245 3,890 
			 In-country grants of leave to remain 34,180 25,195 
			 (1) Individuals could be counted in both entry clearance visas issued and grants of an extension of leave to remain if the issue and grant occurs within the same year. (2) Excludes EEA and Swiss nationals. (3 )Provisional figures. (4) Figures rounded to three significant figures. (5) Entry clearance visas issued and grants of an extension of leave to remain should not be summed. (6) Figures rounded to the nearest 5 . (7) Management information. (8 )Not available.  Source: Home Office, Migration Statistics. 
		
	
	Statistics for visas issued, admissions and grants of leave to remain are published in tables 1.1, 1.2 and 4.2 respectively in the "Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary United Kingdom July-September 2010". This Home Office statistical bulletin is available from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	A copy has been placed in the House Library.
	Admission statistics for the first half of 2010 and statistics for visas issued and grants of leave to remain for the fourth quarter of 2010 are scheduled for publication on 24 February 2011.

Human Trafficking

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to share knowledge and resources with the relevant authorities in India in order to address human trafficking.

Damian Green: The UK Government are committed to working with international partners to address the problem of human trafficking. Through the EU, we continue to encourage India to ratify and implement the UN convention against transnational organised crime and its protocol on people trafficking. We will continue to raise the most pressing human rights issues through the EU-India human rights dialogue.
	The EU has run three projects during the period 2000-10 on human trafficking in India, focusing on both inter-state trafficking in India and regional trafficking in South Asia.

Illegal Immigrants

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK Border Agency screens vehicles entering the UK for the purposes of detecting  (a) illegal immigrants and  (b) prohibited goods entering the UK where those vehicles have been screened or checked for such purposes in other EU member states prior to arriving in the UK; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The strategic aim for the UK Border Agency is to protect our border and national interests by tackling border tax fraud, smuggling and immigration crime.
	Within the BF South and Europe region, UK Border Force officers and their counterparts screen 100% of vehicles for the purpose of detecting illegal immigrants and preventing them from entering the UK. All UK bound vehicles are screened by means of a multi-layered regime, utilising a combination of detection technologies to ensure the security of the common border.
	All vehicles entering the UK for the purpose of prohibited goods are screened on an intelligent risk-based analysis at the ports.
	All our activities at our borders takes place with cognisance as to whether vehicles are pre-screened in other EU member states, as illegal immigrants can enter a vehicle at any point during their journey through any borders.

Illegal Immigrants: Asylum

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons who have been returned to their country of origin have subsequently  (a) applied to enter the United Kingdom,  (b) been granted permission to enter the UK and  (c) been found to have entered the UK illegally in each year for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained by checking individual records only at a disproportionate cost.

Immigration Controls

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to increase levels of immigration control at border entry points.

Damian Green: We are continually strengthening and modernising our border controls, to improve our ability to prevent those who do not qualify for entry to the UK from doing so, while continuing to welcome those who wish to travel to the UK legitimately to visit, work or study. Measures we have already taken include maintaining the strength of our visa regimes; maintaining immigration liaison officers at airports overseas and the juxtaposed immigration controls in France and Belgium; as well as the continued development of e-borders and evolution of the points based system. We will also create a dedicated border police command, as part of the new National Crime Agency, to enhance national security, improve immigration controls and crack down on the trafficking of people, weapons and drugs.

Immigration Controls

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place at each port in the UK to detect  (a) illegal immigrants and  (b) prohibited items from entering the UK.

Damian Green: UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers carry out detection duties at ports and airports across the UK and at our juxtaposed controls in France and Belgium. Officers have at their disposal hi-tech search equipment.
	Specially trained officers deploy an array of search techniques including the use of body detection dogs, carbon dioxide detectors and heartbeat monitors as well as visual searches to find those seeking to enter the UK clandestinely
	UK Border Agency officers work at the frontier to detect and disrupt smuggling of a wide range of goods. UKBA take a targeted risk-based approach to intervention that is intelligence led and use a variety of detection technologies to scan and examine baggage, vehicles and freight. This includes up-to-date x-ray and trace detection technology coupled with the use of detector dogs.

Litigation

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments  (a) her Department's agencies and  (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible paid to persons other than employees in lieu of litigation in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: The information, at the requested level of detail, cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The Department does disclose the total number and amount of special payments made within the published Resource Accounts. However, this disclosure includes all types of special payment (i.e. payments made in lieu of litigation as well as those directed by a court). Separately identifying payments made in lieu of litigation on an individual case basis would incur disproportionate cost.
	The total of all special payments made throughout each of the years for the consolidated Home Office (core and agencies) is set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of special payments  Value of special payments (£ million) 
			 2009-10 1,913 13.491 
			 2008-09 744 3.242 
			 2007-08 1,155 2.668

Police: Manpower

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the contribution by the Minister for Policing on 16 November 2010,  Official Report, column 211WH, what definition her Department uses for  (a) back office,  (b) middle office and  (c) frontline police roles; and what the title is of each role in each such category.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 23 November 2010
	There is no formally agreed definition of frontline, middle office and back office services, although these are terms in relatively common use across the police service. Consideration is being given, with the police service, to the establishment of a common definition. Although no fixed definition exists, frontline officers and staff are generally those directly involved in the public crime fighting face of the force. This includes neighbourhood policing, response policing and criminal investigation. Middle office services include a variety of functions which provide direct support to the frontline, such as police training and criminal justice administration. Back office services are those which keep police forces running smoothly such as finance and HR. Forces should focus on maintaining and improving frontline services, while reducing costs as much as possible in middle and back office support functions, consistent with supporting frontline services. Police forces can also maintain and improve frontline services by enabling frontline officers and staff to work more efficiently and effectively.

Police: Manpower

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in each police force hold positions classified as  (a) operational,  (b) operational support and  (c) organisational support.

Nick Herbert: The most recent figures, on the numbers of officers in these three categories in each police force area in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010, are contained in the following table. The functional group categories were introduced in 1999 and definitions of each category are provided in note 2 of the table. The functional group data have not been published as National Statistics; they are provisional and have not been confirmed with police forces.
	
		
			  Police officer strength( 1)  as at 31 March 2010 by functional group( 2) 
			   Operational( 2)  Operational support( 2)  Organisational support( 3)  Total strength( 3) 
			 Avon and Somerset 3,072 152 77 3,301 
			 Bedfordshire 1,168 64 14 1,246 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,289 89 93 1,471 
			 Cheshire 1,840 247 68 2,155 
			 Cleveland 1,342 298 84 1,724 
			 Cumbria 1,176 44 18 1,238 
			 Derbyshire 1,942 107 25 2,074 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3,335 177 45 3,556 
			 Dorset 1,276 196 15 1,486 
			 Durham 1,358 82 67 1,507 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,081 70 44 1,195 
			 Essex 3,479 107 20 3,606 
			 Gloucestershire 1,168 135 6 1,309 
			 Greater Manchester 7,153 825 170 8,148 
			 Gwent 1,283 10 144 1,437 
			 Hampshire 3,297 346 104 3,748 
			 Hertfordshire 1,992 107 31 2,130 
			 Humberside 1,856 140 61 2,058 
			 Kent 3,424 263 100 3,787 
			 Lancashire 3,293 282 74 3,649 
			 Leicestershire 2,113 156 48 2,317 
			 Lincolnshire 1,131 44 32 1,206 
			 London, City of 814 19 20 852 
			 Merseyside 4,029 342 146 4,516 
			 Metropolitan Police 25,507 7,037 823 33,367 
			 Norfolk 1,550 89 23 1,662 
			 Northamptonshire 1,281 41 21 1,343 
			 Northumbria 3,916 247 24 4,187 
			 North Wales 1,430 121 39 1,590 
			 North Yorkshire 1,371 89 26 1,486 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,310 85 14 2,409 
			 South Wales 2,798 290 60 3,148 
			 South Yorkshire 2,782 82 89 2,953 
			 Staffordshire 1,951 161 48 2,160 
			 Suffolk 1,209 29 8 1,246 
			 Surrey 1,723 76 91 1,890 
			 Sussex 2,962 134 118 3,213 
			 Thames Valley 3,760 432 242 4,434 
			 Warwickshire 901 64 8 973 
			 West Mercia 2,232 140 20 2,391 
			 West Midlands 7,857 626 143 8,626 
			 West Yorkshire 5,577 156 26 5,759 
			 Wiltshire 1,008 149 24 1,181 
			 Total of all 43 forces in England and Wales 126,035 14,347 3,352 143,734 
			 (1) Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between the totals and the sums of the constituent items. (2) Numbers of officers with predominant function in one of the three functional groups, which are defined (see below) according with how directly the officer's function is meeting the overarching aims of the police service. The functional group figures are not published, and should be treated as provisional as they have not been verified with police forces (unlike the total strength figures-see note 3 below). Operational: any member of staff, including covert staff, whose primary role (ie over 50% of their time) is directly to deliver the overarching aims of the police service. To 'directly deliver' the role must involve routine and immediate interface (either face to face or by telephone) with the public, including covert operational staff in such roles can be considered as frontline service providers.  Operational support: any member of staff whose primary role is to support the delivery of the overarching aims of the police service. Organisational support: any member of staff whose primary role is to service the internal needs of the organisation. (3) The total strength figures have been verified with police forces, and are published in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Police Service Strength England and Wales, 31 March 2010", available online at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/hosb1410.pdf  Source: Home Office (from ADR 571 return received from police forces).

Roads: Accidents

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many road traffic accidents involving  (a) serious injury and  (b) fatality were recorded in each police authority area in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Reported personal injury road accidents, by severity and police force: Great Britain: 2005-09 
			  Accidents 
			   Serious  Fatal 
			  Police force  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Great Britain 25,029 24,946 24,322 23,121 21,997 2,913 2,926 2,714 2,341 2,057 
			
			 Avon and Somerset 630 559 561 451 421 69 77 68 67 62 
			 Bedfordshire 218 218 218 209 198 27 30 27 25 20 
			 Cambridgeshire 467 398 386 365 406 61 58 72 52 23 
			 Cheshire 608 565 491 557 501 68 59 43 56 37 
			 City of London 39 58 44 49 41 1 1 2 2 2 
			 Cleveland 184 222 163 170 163 19 18 15 17 12 
			 Cumbria 311 233 203 208 204 35 49 42 24 21 
			 Derbyshire 468 476 490 441 466 57 45 46 40 42 
			 Devon and Cornwall 476 509 559 432 342 95 86 79 72 56 
			 Dorset 308 294 356 363 313 36 36 31 32 24 
			 Durham 224 222 196 176 203 32 29 28 19 17 
			 Essex 916 927 851 708 692 84 90 75 69 55 
			 Gloucestershire 185 193 200 198 185 ,44 36 37 30 18 
			 Greater Manchester 894 785 778 740 664 81 86 89 57 69 
			 Hampshire 722 724 774 747 816 79 67 87 65 41 
			 Hertfordshire 447 411 431 379 321 54 39 49 32 34 
			 Humberside 530 486 504 470 405 61 48 44 40 35 
			 Kent 597 604 587 540 555 97 81 91 61 64 
			 Lancashire 829 917 844 765 736 85 61 51 70 48 
			 Leicestershire 288 279 265 277 286 56 66 61 53 44 
			 Lincolnshire 280 259 269 243 342 59 55 65 49 44 
			 Merseyside 598 531 462 448 465 57 43 29 42 41 
			 Metropolitan Police 3,138 3,363 3,224 3,012 2,787 204 220 209 194 174 
			 Norfolk 398 366 336 304 291 59 61 54 38 49 
			 North Yorkshire 554 632 595 491 449 81 60 71 49 40 
			 Northamptonshire 413 319 348 343 304 38 68 51 32 31 
			 Northumbria 471 491 483 482 504 47 57 39 37 40 
			 Nottinghamshire 629 581 572 538 505 60 65 51 44 36 
			 South Yorkshire 539 497 552 464 439 42 68 45 51 37 
			 Staffordshire 301 298 285 231 225 57 72 64 45 46 
			 Suffolk 297 274 236 309 281 33 40 36 29 37 
			 Surrey 459 440 455 424 467 57 46 55 43 39 
			 Sussex 784 817 849 827 804 97 96 64 75 61 
			 Thames Valley 789 876 846 767 775 130 132 111 89 78 
			 Warwickshire 310 291 312 264 238 37 40 39 43 26 
			 West Mercia 521 461 476 393 378 86 67 73 64 69 
			 West Midlands 920 914 955 856 846 82 92 67 56 65 
			 West Yorkshire 884 923 928 937 801 92 102 94 63 77 
			 Wiltshire 258 300 235 267 253 36 37 57 39 31 
			
			 Dyfed-Powys 281 275 270 270 258 41 50 43 31 37 
			 Gwent 168 153 168 164 129 23 17 26 25 14 
			 North Wales 165 187 246 323 293 37 41 36 37 20 
			 Northern 171 134 135 116 120 24 27 34 33 24 
			 South Wales 338 386 339 305 265 53 42 42 36 45 
			
			 Central 142 121 122 148 109 18 19 8 11 10 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 101 116 133 85 104 14 19 11 9 9 
			 Fife 143 162 120 95 100 11 17 10 13 6 
			 Grampian 217 165 171 337 284 48 56 35 29 28 
			 Lothian and Borders 407 405 374 340 328 35 40 41 37 30 
			 Strathclyde 781 869 720 882 734 85 95 87 86 68 
			 Tayside 231 260 205 211 201 29 20 30 29 21

Sexual Offences: Bradford

David Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the adequacy of provision of specialist support for males  (a) nationwide and  (b) in Bradford who have been subject to rape.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 10 January 2011
	The Home Office does not assess specific provision of support services for male victims of sexual violence at either a national or local level.
	In 2010-11, the Home Office has, in partnership with the Department of Health, allocated over £2.2 million to support the creation and operation of new and existing Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) around the country. These centres provide crisis support and medical care for victims in the immediate aftermath of rape and are open to men and women above 14 or 16 years of age with some centres also providing services for children. They enable victims to access services anonymously, including a forensic examination if they wish, and to consider making a report to the police in a supportive and caring environment. SARCs also provide follow-up care, and often refer victims on to other forms of specialist local provision.
	In addition, the Home Office has made available £860,000 in 2010-11 to support Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs). ISVAs work with victims of recent and historic serious sexual crimes to enable them to access the services they need in the aftermath of the abuse they have experienced. They provide impartial advice to the victim on all options open to them, such as reporting to the police, accessing Sexual Assault Referral Centres, seeking support from specialist sexual violence organisations and other services like housing or benefits.
	In launching the cross-Government vision for tackling violence against women and girls on 25 November 2010, the Secretary of State for the Home Department confirmed Home Office funding of more than £28 million for specialist services until 2015. Of this, £1.72 million will be available each year to support ISVAs in both the specialist voluntary sector and in SARCs.
	Specialist services are provided for male victims. Details of these services can be accessed at:
	www.survivorsuk.org
	and
	www.mankindcounselling.org.uk

Sojourner Fund

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department has allocated to the Sojourner Fund pilot for  (a) 2011-12 and  (b) each subsequent year in which the pilot will be in operation.

Damian Green: holding answer 7 February 2011
	 : The Home Office has allocated £2.4 million for funding of the Sojourner Pilot for 2011-12. No specific amount of funding has been allocated beyond that date because work on a long-term solution is under way.

EDUCATION

Pupil Numbers

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what modelling his Department's projections of school numbers in primary and secondary schools are based.

Nick Gibb: The Department makes projections for the number of pupils in primary and secondary schools in England. They are based on population estimates and projections from the Office for National Statistics together with actual pupil numbers collected as part of the school census.
	The most recent set of projections for the number of pupils in schools was published in December 2010 in Statistical Release 31/2010-National Pupil Projections: Future Trends in Pupil Numbers. This includes technical notes which provide information on the projection method:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/STR/d000974/osr31-2010.pdf

Schools: Asbestos

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on the number of head teachers who have completed training on asbestos in schools in the last 10 years;
	(2)  what guidance his Department issues to schools on asbestos;
	(3)  what recent estimate he has made of the health risk to  (a) teachers,  (b) support staff and  (c) pupils from asbestos in schools.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not hold any information on the number of head teachers who have completed training on asbestos in schools in the last 10 years. However, many local authorities, as duty holders under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, have provided training to school staff and governors. Those who have responsibility for the maintenance of school buildings must be aware and have knowledge of the effective management of any asbestos containing materials.
	The Department's guidance to schools on asbestos management is located on the Teachernet website at:
	www.teachernet.gov.uk/asbestos
	There is extensive guidance and information on managing asbestos on the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE's) website, including a guide on the Management of Asbestos in Non-Domestic Premises, available at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l127.htm
	Partnerships for Schools is currently working with HSE and asbestos training providers to produce training for head teachers to make sure they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities.
	Asbestos containing materials should be managed in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and HSE guidance. So long as asbestos is effectively managed there is no significant risk in leaving it in place. Asbestos which is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed or damaged is better left in place and managed until the end of the life of the building as this presents less risk of exposure to the occupants than the process of removing it. Asbestos which is in poor condition, or which is likely to be damaged or disturbed should be sealed, enclosed or removed.
	The Department has not commissioned any special study into the health risks to teachers, support staff and pupils from asbestos in schools. Evidence indicates that school teachers, as an identifiable occupational group, are no more at risk from contracting asbestos related diseases than the general population. Asbestos in the majority of local authority schools is being satisfactorily managed and HSE is continuing to promote the need for competence and vigilance on the part of those who have responsibility for the maintenance of school buildings, and take action where they find non compliance.

Sixth Form Education: VAT

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 22 November 2010,  Official Report, column 89W, on academies: VAT, whether sixth form colleges will be able to recover VAT incurred to support their non-business activities; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 24 January 2011
	 : As independent institutions sixth-form colleges are liable to pay VAT but are not eligible to reclaim the VAT on goods and services. This is the same position as for further education colleges and we have no current plans to change this.

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay

Alison McGovern: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department has undertaken an equalities impact assessment in respect of his policy on tapered redundancy payments for civil servants over 60.

Francis Maude: holding answer 20 January 2011
	The purpose of the compensation scheme is to provide an appropriate and proportionate level of support for the loss of office or, where suitable, to cushion the transition to retirement. Those members of staff at or over their normal pension age (60 for most current members of the civil service) will have immediate access to an unreduced pension, the majority of which is funded by the taxpayer.
	In designing the new scheme I have had due regard to its fairness and its impact in relation to equality. It is, of course, for individual employers to ensure that their selection for exits-whether voluntary or redundancy-is carried out in a way which does not give rise to claims of unlawful discrimination.

Collective Worship

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of people participated in a regular weekly act of worship in each of the last 10 years.

Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
	We are not aware of any source of data on the number or proportion of people who have participated in a regular weekly act of worship in each of the last 10 years. The Citizenship Survey, does, however collect data on the proportion of people aged 16 years and over in England and Wales who consider that they are practising a religion. Data are available for 2003, 2005, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10. Table 1 shows the proportion and estimated number of people aged 16 and over in England and Wales who considered that they were practising a religion.
	
		
			  Table 1: The percentage and estimated number of people aged 16 and over who considered they were practising a religion, England and Wales, 2003 to 2009-10 
			   Percentage  Estimated number (Thousand )( 1) 
			 2003(2) 27 11,274 
			 2005(3) 29 12,666 
			 2007-08 30 13,121 
			 2008-09 30 13,274 
			 2009-10 29 13,127 
			 (1) Estimated numbers are calculated by applying proportions from the Citizenship Survey to the Office for National Statistics Mid-Year Population Estimates (England and Wales) for people aged 16 and over. (2) In the 2003 Citizenship survey all respondents were asked 'Do you actively practise any religion now'? (3) From 2005 onwards all Citizenship Survey respondents who said that they had a religion were asked, 'Do you consider that you are actively practising your religion?' The estimate shown is as a proportion of all people, including those with 'no religion'. 
		
	
	In 2009-10, 29% of people were actively practising a religion in England and Wales. Levels are unchanged on all previous comparable years (back to 2005 when the new question format was introduced).
	It should be noted that estimates on religious practice are derived from questions which ask respondents whether they consider that they are actively practising their religion. Respondents are not provided with any guidance on what constitutes 'actively practising' and they are not asked what their active practise consists of in terms of regularity or type of activity. The measure will include people who participate in a regular weekly act of worship but will also include other types of, and frequency of, religious practice.

Departmental Security

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which persons not employed by Government Departments or agencies hold passes entitling them to enter his Department's premises.

Francis Maude: Passes may be issued to those who are required to make frequent visits to my Department's premises; subject to the usual security checks. For security reasons it would not be appropriate to provide detailed information about specific individuals who have been issued a pass.

Government Departments: Telephone Services

Alok Sharma: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance his Department issues to Government Departments and agencies on the use of  (a) national and  (b) premium rate telephone numbers as contact points for members of the public.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 1058W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mary Macleod), and 20 December 2010,  Official Report, column 1059W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Alun Cairns).
	In May 2009 the Cabinet Office Contact Council published a guide to number ranges for public sector organisations and updated this guide in February 2010. This guide includes a recommendation that Government Departments should consider the cost of accessing the service to make sure that citizens on low income can afford to make contact.
	We will be looking into tightening procedures in the near future.

Internet

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the number of households in each socio-economic group which have a home computer.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the number of households in each socio-economic group which have a home computer. (038369)
	The table provided shows the number of households with a home computer, by National Statistics Socio Economic Classification (NS-SEC) of the household reference person in 2009, the latest period for which data are available. These estimates are based on data from the Living Costs and Food Survey, an annual survey of approximately 5,000 households in the UK.
	These estimates, as with any involving sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Number of households with a home computer, by National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification (NS-SEC) of the household reference person, 2009 
			  Thousand 
			   Households with a home computer  Number of households in the population 
			 Large employers and higher managerial 1,160 1,200 
			 Higher professional 1,680 1,700 
			 Lower managerial and professional 4,630 4,900 
			 Intermediate 1,370 1,520 
			 Small employers 1,280 1,460 
			 Lower supervisory 1,530 1,740 
			 Semi routine 1,640 1,990 
			 Routine 1,170 1,470 
			 Long term unemployed(1) 330 510 
			 Students 430 470 
			 Occupation not stated(2) 4,380 9,000 
			 All households 19,580 25,980 
			 (1) Includes those who have never worked (2) Includes those who are economically inactive  Note: Individual figures have been rounded independently. The sum of component items does not therefore necessarily add to the total shown.  Source: Living Costs and Food Survey, Office for National Statistics

Life Expectancy: Females

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the life expectancy is of a woman born in 1954.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	  Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking what the life expectancy is of a woman born in 1954. (39204).
	The Office for National Statistics publishes national life expectancy figures for the United Kingdom and its constituent countries.
	The average life expectancy for a baby girl born in the UK, in 1954, was 72 years. However, this life expectancy figure ignores improvements in mortality rates since 1954. If improvements in mortality since 1954 and assumptions about future mortality are taken into account, then the average life expectancy for the baby girl would be 84 years.
	Furthermore, the chance of survival increases as each successive year of age is reached. This means that a woman born in 1954 who has survived to age 57 in 2011 has an average 32 years of life remaining, giving an average life expectancy of 89 years.

Social Trust

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what information his Department holds on trends in the  (a) number and  (b) size of self help groups in the last 20 years.

Paul Burstow: I have been asked to reply.
	The organisations Alcoholics Anonymous (Great Britain) and Gamblers Anonymous UK both run a number of nationwide 'meetings' for those with alcohol problems and addictions to gambling. We do not collect information of these meetings centrally.

Social Trust

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what measures his Department uses to assess levels of social trust; and what assessment has been made of trends in levels of social trust in the last 20 years;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of levels of social trust in  (a) adults and  (b) teenagers.

Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
	Data from the Citizenship Survey provide the percentage of all adults (aged 16 years and over) who trust institutions (Parliament, police, council) and who think that many people in their neighbourhood can be trusted, over the last 10 years. Citizenship Survey data also provide recent data on levels of trust by teenagers on these measures (aged 16 to 19 years).
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of all adults (aged 16 years and over) in England who trust institutions (Parliament, police and local council) a 'lot' or 'fair' amount, by year 
			  Percentage 
			   Parliament  Local council  Police 
			 2001 36 52 80 
			 2003 38 54 80 
			 2005 37 57 79 
			 2007-08 35 60 81 
			 2008-09 34 61 82 
			 2009-10 29 62 82 
			 April to September 2010 36 63 84 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Percentage of all adults (aged 16 years and over) in England who think that many people in their neighbourhood can be trusted, by year 
			  Percentage 
			   2001  2003  2005  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Many of the people can be trusted 40 47 49 47 50 50 
			 Some can be trusted 36 37 36 36 34 34 
			 A few can be trusted 22 14 14 15 14 14 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Percentage of all teenagers (aged 16 to 19 year) in England who trust institutions (Parliament, police and local council) a 'lot' or 'fair' amount, 2009-10( 1) 
			  Percentage 
			  2009-10  Parliament  Local council  Police 
			 Teenagers (16 to 19) 44 68 78 
			 (1) Figures are based on the 2009-10 full year data, rather than the most recent April to September 2010 data due to the small sample size for this age group. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Percentage of all teenagers (aged 16 to 19 years) in England who think that many people in their neighbourhood can be trusted, 2009-10( 1) 
			  Percentage 
			  2009-10  Many of the people can be trusted  Some can be trusted  A few can be trusted 
			 Teenagers (16 to 19) 36 41 21 
			 (1) Figures are based on the 2009-10 full year data, rather than the most recent April 2010 to September 2010 data due to the small sample size for this age group.

Volunteering

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on average levels of volunteering by teenagers in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of adults in each ethnic group who participated in voluntary activity in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
	Data from the Citizenship Survey provide information on the percentage levels of volunteering by teenagers (aged 16 to 19 years) over the last five years and information on the percentage of adults participating in regular voluntary activity by ethnic group for the latest period for which figures are available (April to September 2010), in England.
	
		
			  Table 1: Percentage of teenagers (aged 16 to 19) participating in formal and informal volunteering (at least once a month) in England, by year 
			  Percentage 
			   Formal volunteering  Informal volunteering 
			 2005 32 50 
			 2007-08 28 41 
			 2008-09 26 39 
			 2009-10 26 36 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Latest data (April to September 2010) on the percentage of adults (aged 16 years and over) who participated in formal and informal voluntary activity (at least once a month) by ethnicity, in England 
			   Regular volunteering (at least once a month) 
			  April to September 2010  Formal volunteering  Informal volunteering 
			 White 25 28 
			 All Asian 17 20 
			 Indian 21 21 
			 Pakistani 16 21 
			 Bangladeshi 10 19 
			 All Black 20 22 
			 Caribbean 22 26 
			 African 20 21 
			 Mixed race 19 38 
			 Chinese/Other 13 18 
			 Ethnic minority group 18 22 
			 White 25 28 
		
	
	The Citizenship Survey definition of formal volunteering is 'Giving unpaid help through groups, clubs or organisations to benefit other people or the environment'. This excludes giving money and activities related to job requirements.
	Formal volunteers are those who have given unpaid help through any UK groups, clubs or organisations via the following activities:
	raising or handling money/taking part in sponsored events;
	leading the group/member of a committee;
	organising or helping run an activity or event;
	visiting people;
	befriending or mentoring people;
	giving advice/information/counselling;
	secretarial, admin or clerical work;
	providing transport/driving;
	representing;
	campaigning;
	other practical help (e.g. helping out at school); and
	any other help.
	The Citizenship Survey definition of informal volunteering is 'Giving unpaid help as an individual to people who are not relatives'.
	Informal volunteers are those who have given unpaid help to someone who is not a relative via the following activities:
	keeping in touch with someone who has difficult getting out and about;
	doing shopping/collecting prescription/ paying bills;
	cooking/cleaning/laundry/gardening or other routine household jobs;
	decorating or doing any kind of home or car repairs;
	babysitting or caring for children;
	sitting with or providing personal care (e.g. washing, dressing) for someone who is sick or frail;
	looking after property or a pet for someone who is away;
	giving advice;
	writing letters or filling in forms;
	representing someone (e.g. talking to a council department or a doctor); and
	transporting or escorting someone (e.g. to hospital).

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bangladesh

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the likely effect of his Department's decision to retender for programme partnership agreements on operations in Bangladesh.

Stephen O'Brien: We have not undertaken any formal assessment of the impacts of our retendering of programme partnership arrangements (PPA) on operations in Bangladesh. However, we do not expect our PPA decisions to have any negative impact on these operations.
	These new PPAs will have an increased focus on value for money and lesson learning and will be better aligned to DFID's priorities.

Bangladesh: Dalits

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to support the rights of Dalits in Bangladesh.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK funds community organisations in Bangladesh that provide help and advice to Dalit people so they can get access to health care, schooling and welfare benefits such as old age pension, education stipends for girls and subsidised food grain. UK funding also helps these organisations to tackle discrimination against Dalits.

Bangladesh: Family Planning

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to ensure access to family planning in Bangladesh.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK is helping to fund a government programme which provides around 90% of all family planning commodities to Bangladesh. Approximately 17 million couples (56%) practice family planning each year, of which about 2.5 million can be attributed to the UK funding.

Bangladesh: Overseas Aid

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department provided to Bangladesh in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11; and what support it intends to provide in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14 and (iv) 2014-15.

Stephen O'Brien: In 2009-11, the Department for International Development (DFID) has supported the Government and civil society in Bangladesh to provide basic social and legal services; create jobs and improve livelihoods; strengthen public financial management; respond to disasters and adapt to climate change. Gender and aid effectiveness are key themes across the programme. As reported in our annual publication 'Statistics on International Development' (SID), in 2009-10 DFID provided £148 million in bilateral aid to Bangladesh. Expenditure in 2010-11 will reported in the next edition of SID later this year.
	Detailed plans for future support will be determined by the conclusions of the bilateral aid review, which will be published shortly.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprentices were registered to train as a  (a) plumber,  (b) construction electrician,  (c) carpenter,  (d) bricklayer,  (e) heating and ventilating engineer and  (f) lift engineer in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Hayes: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts on each different apprenticeship framework is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 27 January:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	Apprenticeship frameworks do not fall into the categories listed above. The following table shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts in 2009/10 by the most relevant frameworks to the categories listed above. A full list of frameworks can be found in the Statistical First Release.
	
		
			  Apprenticeship programme starts by framework, 2009/10 
			  Sector framework code  Apprenticeship starts 
			 Building services engineering technicians 40 
			 Construction 14,070 
			 Electrical and electronic servicing 30 
			 Electricity industry 170 
			 Electrotechnical 4,660 
			 Furniture industry 360 
			 Heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration 1,300 
			 MES plumbing 5,100 
			 Total (all frameworks) 279,700 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 except for the total which is rounded to the nearest 100. 2. '-' Indicates a base value of less than five. 3. Full-year numbers are a count of the number of starts at any point during the year. Learners starting more than one framework will appear more than once.  Source: Individualised Learner Record

Apprentices

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many  (a) apprenticeship starts,  (b) advanced apprenticeship starts and  (c) higher apprenticeship starts there were in academic year 2010-11; and how many such starts there were in each such category in academic year 2009-10.

John Hayes: The following table shows the number of apprenticeship starts by level for 2008/09 and 2009/10, the latest years for which full year data are available.
	
		
			  Apprenticeship programme starts by apprenticeship (Level 2), advanced apprenticeship (Level 3) and higher level apprenticeship (Level 4+), 2008/09 and 2009/10 
			   Apprenticeships (Level 2)  Advanced  a pprenticeships (Level 3)  Higher level apprenticeships  Total 
			 2008/09 158,500 81,300 200 239,900 
			 2009/10 190,500 87,700 1,500 279,700 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.  Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 27 January 2011:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current

Apprentices

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding he has allocated for  (a) apprenticeship places,  (b) advanced apprenticeship places and  (c) higher apprenticeship places in 2011-12; and what funding was allocated in each such category in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

John Hayes: The Apprenticeships programme is demand led. Government do not plan apprenticeship places by level but provides funding and forecasts the overall number of places that may be afforded. We rely on employers and providers to work together to offer sufficient opportunities to meet local demand, taking advantage of the greater freedoms and flexibilities that we have created in the further education system.
	In 2009-10, the planned expenditure on participation in apprenticeship training was £1,042 million(1). The apprenticeship budget for the 2010-11 financial year is £1,328 million(2): £780 million for 16-18 year olds; £548 million for 19+. We expect to spend over £1,400 million in the 2011-12 financial year: £799 million for 16-18 year olds; £605 million for those aged 19 and over(3).
	The total volume of apprenticeship starts in 2009/10 was 279,700. This is an increase of 16.6% compared to 2008/09. Of these there were:
	190,500 apprenticeship (Level 2) starts-a 20.2% increase on 2008/09;
	87,700 advanced apprenticeship (Level 3) starts-a 7.9% increase on 2008/09.
	1,500 higher level apprenticeship (Level 4+) starts-a large increase on 2008/09.
	We have ensured there is sufficient funding in place to train over 350,000 apprentices in England in the 2010/11 academic year. For the 2011/12 academic year, our indicative forecast is to fund over 360,000 apprenticeship places. The levels that these places are at will be determined by the level of skills employers actually need in their business.
	Provisional data shows that there were 119,800 apprenticeship starts in the first quarter of the 2010/11 academic year. Of these there were:
	76,300 apprenticeship (Level 2) starts;
	42,300 advanced apprenticeship (Level 3) starts; and
	1,200 higher level apprenticeship (Level 4 or higher) starts.
	We are committed to improving, expanding and re-shaping apprenticeships so that Level 3 becomes the level to which learners and employers should aspire. We will also ensure there are clear routes into apprenticeships to widen access to the programme, and clear routes into higher level skills training including, but not exclusively, Level 4 apprenticeships.
	(1) LSC grant letter for 2009-10
	http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/nat-statementofpriorities200910-nov08.pdf
	(2) 16-18 figs: DCSF 16-19 Statement of Priorities and Investment Strategy 2010-11; 19+figs: SFA Funding Letter
	(3) 16-18 figures: 16-19 Funding Statement, YPLA (December 2010); 19+ figures: Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth, BIS (November 2010)

Business

Karen Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much and what proportion of his Department's comprehensive spending review settlement he has allocated to the promotion of  (a) enterprise and  (b) enterprise education in schools and colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: Since May 2010 the Government have been actively encouraging enterprise, including by doubling the amount of small business rate relief for one year, launching the New Enterprise Allowance and initiating a new programme in universities, 'Enterprising Academics'.
	We are currently allocating budgets following the spending review and we will be putting in place an approach to enterprise promotion and education to ensure that our funding will be targeted in the most effective way.

Construction: Co-operatives

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in his Department are engaged in developing mutual and co-operative models within the construction industry.

Mark Prisk: None.

Construction: Co-operatives

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's estimate is of the proportion of construction projects which have been delivered by co-operative or mutual organisations in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010.

Mark Prisk: The data that are collected around the sector do not identify them, and we would be unable to provide an estimate.

EU Grants and Loans

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of the bids received for the first round of the regional growth fund in each region seek to use European regional development fund monies as match-funding.

Mark Prisk: I welcome the fact that there has been enormous interest in the regional growth fund with over 450 bids for support made in round 1. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will place summary information about these bids on the regional growth fund page of the BIS website in due course.

EU Grants and Loans

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any new regional offices to be established by his Department will have responsibilities for the delivery and management of funds from the European regional development fund.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) local offices in the regions will not have responsibilities for the delivery and management of funds from the European regional development fund. These functions will continue to be managed by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in line with the statement by the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Andrew Stunell), of 3 February 2011,  Official Report, columns 48-49WS. BIS officials, including those from the BIS local offices in the regions will attend the local management committees.

Fuel Oil

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future regulation of the domestic oil market.

Charles Hendry: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement I gave on 21 January 2011,  Official Report, column 55WS, concerning the off-grid energy market. I am keen that the reasons for the high prices and supply issues affecting domestic consumers are thoroughly investigated by an independent authority. I therefore wrote to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to ask it to bring forward its competition and consumer study into off-grid energy, and asked the OFT if the study could explore the longer term consumer issues such as lifetime payback, consumer standards and labelling for alternative energy sources or supplies. Such a study would provide an independent assessment of the off-grid market and establish what further action may be necessary to ensure it works properly.
	I welcome the independent assessment of the off-grid market to be made by the OFT, and look forward to seeing its conclusions in advance of next winter so the lessons from this winter can be learned and any necessary changes made.

Further Education: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many residents of  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) the London borough of Bexley enrolled in a further education course in the last three years for which figures are available.

John Hayes: The following table shows the number of learners participating in government-funded further education in Bexleyheath and Crayford parliamentary constituency, Bexley local authority in academic years 2007/08, 2008/09 and provisional data for 2009/10.
	This includes participation across all further education learning routes, including further education, apprenticeships, Train to Gain, Adult Safeguarded Learning and University for Industry funding streams.
	
		
			  Further education participation by geography in 2007/08 to 2009/10( 3) 
			   2007/08  2008/09( 1)  2009/10( 1, 2)( ,) ( 3) 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford parliamentary constituency 6,670 6,830 6,580 
			 Bexley local authority 17,000 17,800 17,400 
			 (1) Figures for 2008/09 onwards are not directly comparable to earlier years as the introduction of demand led funding has changed how data are collected and how funded learners are defined from 2008/09 onwards. More information on demand led funding is available at http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/datadictionary/businessdefinitions/Demand+Led+Funding.htm (2) Provisional numbers for 2009/10 (full-year estimates) are not comparable with previous years. There can be significant variation between provisional and final estimates and typically these numbers can be expected to be revised upwards. (3) Provisional.  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Geography information is based upon the home postcode of the learner.  3. Information in this table is based on all government funded learners. 4. These data include FE, apprenticeships/work based learning, Train to Gain, Adult Safeguarded Learning and University for Industry funding streams.  Source: Individualised Learner Record 
		
	
	Information on further education and skills participation and achievement is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 27 January
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	Near final further education and skills participation data by geography for 2009/10 are due to be published in a supplementary table on the 10 February, available from the SFR at the above link.

Green Investment Bank

Michael Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what forms of energy he expects the Green Investment Bank to fund.

Mark Prisk: We are looking to build a bank with a wide remit, which is able to respond to long-term infrastructure challenges. Decisions around the bank's focus during its early years have not yet been taken.
	The bank will tackle financing issues which stem from clear market failures. This Department is currently analysing and market testing a range of energy sectors, including offshore wind, waste, biomass and nuclear. We will make a further announcement in May.

Midwives: Education

Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of applications for places on midwifery courses were unsuccessful in each of the last five years.

David Willetts: The information is in the following table and has been provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Unplaced applicants are counted as those who did not enter a midwifery course, i.e. they include individuals who were accepted onto a course in a different subject.
	Unplaced applicants can also include: individuals who did not receive any offer; individuals who received an offer (conditional or unconditional) but decided not to go to University; individuals who received a conditional offer and failed to meet the specific conditions (e.g. they did not achieve certain grades); and individuals who decided to withdraw from the UCAS system.
	
		
			  Applicants and unplaced applicants to full-time undergraduate midwifery courses via UCAS 2006-10 
			  Status  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Applicants to at least one midwifery choice via UCAS 5,221 5,261 7,052 7,885 11,340 
			 Applicants to at least one midwifery choice via NMAS 4,460 3,340 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Unplaced at UCAS midwifery choice 4,363 4,319 5,449 6,130 9,154 
			 Unplaced at NMAS midwifery choice 3,915 2,878 n/a n/a n/a 
			   
			 Proportion UCAS applicants unplaced (percentage) 83.6 82.1 77.3 77.7 80.7 
			 Proportion NMAS applicants unplaced (percentage) 87.8 86.2 n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a = not applicable 
		
	
	For the 2008 cycle diploma courses that had formerly been recruited through the Nursing and Midwifery Admissions Service (NMAS) were integrated into the main UCAS scheme.
	For the 2010 cycle nursing courses in Scotland that have formerly been recruited through the Centralised Applications to Nursing and Midwifery Training Clearing House (CATCH) were integrated into the UCAS scheme-prior to 2010 UCAS did not hold data on applications via CATCH as they did not manage this application system until the 2010/11 entry cycle.
	For courses through NMAS, midwifery courses have been identified as those with a course code between 1800 and 1899. For UCAS courses midwifery courses have been identified as any course that has 'B720' as an element of the underlying full JACS four digit codes.
	Applicants have been identified at those that have made at least one choice to a midwifery course. Acceptances are only for those that were accepted to midwifery courses; applicants who applied to midwifery courses but were accepted for entry to a different subject have been excluded.
	 Note
	For NMAS data acceptances have been calculated using the same method used for UCAS, i.e. including accepted applicants who deferred entry.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects on economic growth of the vehicle scrappage scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Department originally estimated a short term stimulus to the value of UK vehicles sales worth approximately £2.1 billion. With the extension to the scrappage scheme with an additional £100 million (announced in September 2009), the revised cumulative figure was expected to be £2.8 billion by the time the scheme ended. This did not take into account the impact on other sectors (e.g. suppliers, the second-hand car market etc.).
	An early assessment of the scheme is presented in the report by the National Audit Office: "Department, for Business, Innovation and Skills-Support to business during a recession", which was published in 2010.

New Business

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what barriers to increasing the dynamism of markets he has identified; and which of these barriers he has removed since his appointment.

Mark Prisk: Enabling private-sector and industry-led growth are the priority for this Government.
	To achieve this, we have already taken a number of important steps-for example:
	Stemming the flow of new regulation by introducing a One in, One out rule for new regulations;
	Extending the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and launching a Green Paper on business finance, to ensure that small businesses have access to the finance they need to grow;
	Reducing the small companies' rate of corporation tax to 20% from April this year and committing to cut general corporation tax to 24% by 2014, one of the lowest rates in the G20.
	However, there is still more to do, which is why the Growth Review is currently looking at what BIS, and the Government as a whole needs to do, to create the positive business environment required to enable businesses to start-up, invest and grow.

Nuclear Power: Research

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what financial support his Department has provided for  (a) the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and  (b) its associated nuclear research laboratories to date; and what assessment he has made of the value for money of such support.

David Willetts: The university of Sheffield and the university of Manchester have received the following grants from BIS for the establishment of the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre:
	University of Sheffield: £15 million
	University of Manchester: £4 million with an additional £4 million from the North West Development Agency.
	The grant was made under section 5 of the Science and Technology Act 1965. The centre was established to ensure that member organisations and wider industry in the UK develop their capability and maintain their ability to compete in the global civil nuclear supply chain. The Department will be monitoring the project to ensure value for money is delivered.

Private Sector

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken since his appointment  (a) to establish the conditions for further development of the private sector and  (b) to remove barriers to industrial development.

Mark Prisk: The Government are committed to promoting growth creating the right conditions to support a private sector-led recovery. Among the actions we have taken are:
	clear direction and certainty on deficit reduction;
	creating a tax regime that is the most competitive corporate tax system in the G20;
	creating the Office of Tax simplification to provide the Government with independent advice on simplifying the UK tax system and improving our international competitiveness;
	reforming the regulation of the financial system to make the economy more resilient to future shocks;
	getting the regulatory framework right, with a groundbreaking new One-in, One-out system began;
	maintaining business investment by ensuring that our legal and institutional frameworks are fair, efficient and transparent and provide the necessary certainty for firms to conduct their business with confidence;
	a reduction in the small business profits rate and the waiver national insurance contributions for new businesses in most areas of the country;
	tackling real and perceived barriers faced by people wanting to start and grow a business including improving access to finance;
	creating high-quality transport infrastructure-over £10 billion over the spending review to provide new road schemes and to maintain existing roads; and
	rolling out superfast broadband access across the country.
	Further details can be found in 'The path to strong, sustainable and balanced growth' published jointly by the Secretary of State and the Chancellor in November 2010:
	http://interactive.bis.gov.uk/comment/growth/
	The paper sets out a four part commitment to private sector growth, which includes:
	providing the stability business needs to plan and invest;
	making markets more dynamic by removing barriers to growth wherever possible;
	focusing the Government's own activities on providing the conditions for private sector growth and investment; and
	ensuring that strong growth is fairly shared and sustainable in the long-term.
	The paper also launched the Growth Review, a rolling programme running the life of the Parliament, under which each part of Government will be challenged on what they are doing to address the barriers facing industry, both across the economy and within specific sectors.

Regional Development Agencies: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding allocated to each regional development agency was not legally committed for the financial year 2011-12 as at 1 January 2011.

Mark Prisk: The eight regional development agencies (RDAs) outside London were given indicative funding allocations for the financial year 2011-12 in December 2010. The indicative allocations for the RDA single programme included no funding for programme activities that were not legally committed. London Development Agency has not yet been given an indicative allocation.

Regional Government

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what his policy is on the establishment of regional offices for his Department; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the  (a) function,  (b) remit and  (c) responsibilities will be of any new regional offices for his Department.

Mark Prisk: It is important that BIS has a policy presence outside of Whitehall so that the Department can communicate effectively with local enterprise partnerships, businesses and other organisations.
	The network is still in the early stages of development, but it is expected there will be six small teams in different parts of the country. Locations have not yet been confirmed.
	The teams will support BIS's overall objectives, particularly those relating to growth, jobs and rebalancing the economy.

Regional Government

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with  (a) the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and  (b) other ministerial colleagues on (i) plans to establish regional offices for his Department and (ii) any consequent staff transfers.

Mark Prisk: The proposals for ongoing functions have been developed as part of the Government's arrangements for the closure of the Government offices for the regions (and the closure of the regional development agencies). The transfer of staff from Government offices follows the process agreed by Departments and the relevant trade unions. The transfer of staff from the regional development agencies will follow the processes required to fulfil the Government's legal obligations under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE).

Regional Government

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what stakeholders he  (a) has consulted and  (b) plans to consult on the establishment of new regional offices for his Department.

Mark Prisk: The need for a BIS presence outside Whitehall has been discussed with business organisations and local enterprise partnerships. The Department will continue to work closely with stakeholders as the BIS teams are set up.

Regional Government

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding he expects to allocate to any new regional offices for his Department.

Mark Prisk: There are no plans to allocate funding to the BIS offices in the regions beyond that required for administrative expenses.

Student Loans Company: Complaints

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints were made against the Student Loans Company in  (a) 2009 and  (b) 2010.

David Willetts: The Student Loans Company (SLC) records all the complaints it receives and in 2009 it received 2,566 complaints. By way of context, the number of applications received for the 2009/10 academic year cycle (up to mid October 2009), the SLC had received 914,000 applications for student financial support. In the same year (calendar year 2009), the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills received 3,070 pieces of correspondence about the SLC although there is a disproportionate cost to the Department to determine how many of these are specific complaints about the Company or how many of these have also complained directly to the Company.
	By 14 October 2010, the SLC had received 967,000 applications for the 2010/11 academic year cycle. In 2010, the SLC received 4,491 complaints, while SLC related correspondence received by the Department was 4,198.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to improve the operation of institutions in Afghanistan.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office works closely with both the Afghan Government and the international community to strengthen institutions in Afghanistan through capacity building and reform programmes. We work in such sectors as governance, justice, rule of law and human rights. We provide specific support to the Ministry of Interior, the Attorney General's Office, the Ministry of Justice's Central Prisons Directorate and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission.

Australia: Floods

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the UK has provided to  (a) the Australian Government and  (b) the government of Queensland to provide relief from the recent floods.

Jeremy Browne: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on 12 January 2011 and offered UK assistance should it be required. Despite the scale of the floods, her advice was that they did not need international support at this stage.
	My right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary met their Australian counterparts in Sydney on 18 January 2011, where it was agreed that the Government would provide experts in flood recovery management and in advanced flood forecasting methods to the Queensland task force.

Australia: Floods

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Portsmouth North of 24 January 2011,  Official Report, column 16W, on Australia: floods, what requests for assistance he has received from his Australian counterpart since 19 January 2011; and what assistance he has provided.

Jeremy Browne: The UK has received no requests for assistance from Australia since 19 January 2011. Officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, in co-ordination with Whitehall departments, continue to engage with the Australian authorities on the delivery of the assistance already agreed.

Colombia: Human Rights

Gemma Doyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on human rights in Colombia.

Jeremy Browne: I regularly exchange views with Ministers in the region about Latin American politics and the challenges and opportunities those countries face.
	We regularly raise human rights concerns with the Colombian Government. I represented the UK at the inauguration of President Juan Manuel Santos in 2010 and took the opportunity of a private meeting with the President to urge more progress on human rights. The President is committed to tackling human rights with determination. We welcome this renewed commitment and are working with his Administration towards this common end.
	Last month I met both the Colombian Vice Minister for Defence Ms Yaneth Giha and the Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Ms Patti Londoño. We discussed human rights, including ways in which the UK can support efforts to improve the situation.

Departmental Marketing

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department-branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has no central record of having produced branded coasters except as part of consular travel safety campaigns. These campaigns help ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens abroad. Consular work is not funded by direct taxation, but by consular fees and the passport premium. In 2009-10 the cost of these coasters worldwide was £6,042 for 110,000 units (average cost of 5p per unit).

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010.

Alistair Burt: Regulations are a specific type of statutory instrument. These are rarely sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and no regulations have been made or revoked by the FCO since May 2010.
	However, the FCO have been responsible for the revocation or proposed revocation of the following items of secondary legislation since May 2010:
	Geneva Conventions Act (Colonial Territories) Order 1959 (revoked on 15 January 2011)
	Geneva Conventions (Amendment) Act (Overseas Territories) Order 2002 (revoked on 15 January 2011)
	The Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution (Interim Amendment) (Amendment) Order 2009 (revoked on such date as the Governor of Turks and Caicos Islands, acting in his discretion, may appoint by proclamation published in the official  Gazette of Turks and Caicos Islands)
	The Montserrat Constitution Order 1989 (revoked on such date as the Governor of Montserrat, acting in his discretion, may appoint by proclamation published in the official  Gazette of Montserrat)
	The Montserrat Constitution (Amendment) Order 2000 (revoked on such date as the Governor of Montserrat, acting in his discretion, may appoint by proclamation published in the official  Gazette of Montserrat).

EC Institutions: Secondment

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2011,  Official Report, column 156W, on the European External Action Service, what his estimate is of the number of staff from his Department who will be required to be seconded to all European Union institutions in order for British representation to be proportionate to the size of the UK population.

David Lidington: We do not currently hold exact figures for permanent staff working within all EU institutions: indicatively however, there are approximately 23,000 staff members working at the European Commission, which employs the majority of those working for the EU institutions. Of these, 6% are UK citizens. The UK represents 12% of the total EU population.
	The Government do not propose to make up this gap predominantly by means of secondments from this Department. We are undertaking a broad promotion drive communicating the benefits of a career in the EU to young UK professionals, graduates and undergraduates. This is part of the cross-Whitehall Success in the EU project launched in EU Careers Month on 7 February 2011, at a Foreign and Commonwealth Office event held for graduates interested in working within the EU institutions.

Egypt: Politics and Government

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likely effect of instability in Egypt on UK relations with Israel.

Alistair Burt: The UK remains a firm friend of Israel. The situation in Egypt does not change that. We remain of the view that there needs to be progress on the middle east peace process. We are working closely with the US and the EU to see a return to direct negotiations.

Egypt: Politics and Government

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assess the effect of the current political situation in Egypt on that country's ability to curb the smuggling of weapons to Hamas.

Alistair Burt: We are gravely concerned by the ongoing political unrest in Egypt. There has also been some unrest close to the Egyptian border with Gaza.
	We are aware of reports that the Egyptian army, deployed to the Sinai with Israeli agreement, has acted to close down the tunnels to Gaza. We are unable to verify these reports and at present, it is unclear whether recent events in Cairo and Alexandria have impacted on the Egyptian Army's capacity elsewhere in the country.

European Parliament: Location

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the coalition agreement, section 13, point 7, what representations he has made at the Council of Ministers to press for the European Parliament to sit only in Brussels.

David Lidington: I have raised this issue in bilateral discussions with ministerial counterparts in other EU member states, with the European Commission and the European Parliament, and will continue to press for the European Parliament to have only one seat, in Brussels.

European Union

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the repatriation of powers and competences from the European Union.

David Lidington: As I stated in the House on 1 February 2011, the Government are committed to examining the existing balance of competences and what they mean for Britain. We will continue to look at that issue. This review needs to be undertaken before we can determine the way forward or hold discussions at ministerial level.

France: Military Alliances

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the next bilateral summit with France to discuss defence co-operation will take place.

David Lidington: No date has yet been set for the 2011 annual UK-France summit, which is likely to cover a wide range of issues, including defence co-operation.

Iran: Nuclear Power

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the role of multinational institutions in curbing the development of a nuclear weapons capability in Iran.

Alistair Burt: International sanctions, including those adopted by the UN and the EU, show the strength of international concerns about Iran's nuclear programme. It is clear that sanctions are having an impact. Iran is finding it increasingly difficult to acquire access to goods of proliferation concern and is also finding it hard to access international finance, restricting its ability to fund its nuclear programme.
	Inspections and reports by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) continue to reveal the progress of Iran's nuclear programme and highlight the areas where Iran is refusing to co-operate with the IAEA or comply with its safeguards obligations. This ensures that IAEA concerns over possible military dimensions to the Iranian programme are available for all to see.

Kosovo: War Crimes

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department received reports of incidences of organ trafficking during British involvement in Kosovo.

David Lidington: The Government are aware of public allegations of organ trafficking in Kosovo, including those in the book written by Carla del Ponte, former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and those in the Council of Europe report written by Senator Dick Marty. I welcome the opening of preliminary investigations by the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) into these allegations and call on all relevant organisations and individuals to respond without delay to any EULEX request for evidence.
	UK reporting during the requested period is not held centrally. Officials have been checking historical files and continue to do so. Nothing we have seen to date suggests that the Government of the day were aware of these allegations.

Kosovo: War Crimes

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department offered assistance to the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo on issues relating to  (a) war crimes and  (b) organ trafficking in the last five years.

David Lidington: The UK fully supports the work of the European Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), including its investigations into war crimes and organ trafficking. Our assistance is provided through our contribution to EU funding of the mission and by British secondments, including the deputy head of Mission, prosecutors and judges.

Tibet: Human Rights

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on the human rights situation in Tibet of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue since its inception.

Jeremy Browne: The Government continue to monitor the situation in Tibet carefully and use the dialogue to raise their concerns. The dialogue is one part of the Government's wider, comprehensive strategy of engagement with China on human rights issues, which includes our support for project work on the ground in China and ministerial engagement with the Chinese Government at the highest political levels.

UK Membership of EU

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to his Department was of the UK's membership of the Council of Europe in each year for which figures are available; and what proportion of such expenditure related to the  (a) European Court of Human Rights and  (b) Parliamentary Assembly for the Council of Europe.

David Lidington: The available figures from 2005-10 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  € 
			   Total FCO/UK contribution to the Council of Europe general budget  Allocation to parliamentary assembly  Allocation to Court 
			 2005 22,908,766.09 1,787,644.49 4,944,541.78 
			 2006 23,257,480.03 1,825,013.13 5,190,311.64 
			 2007 23,963,090.86 1,825,890.51 5,747,820.44 
			 2008 24,159,950.92 1,785,771.06 5,110,566.52 
			 2009 24,433,778.38 1,760,946.71 5,418,777.63 
			 2010 24,874,186.33 1,753,433.96 5,674,717.28

TREASURY

Government Debt

David Rutley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the level of Government debt.

Justine Greening: The latest public sector finance release shows that public sector net debt (PSND) as at 31 December 2010 was £889.1 billion.

Manufacturing Growth

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the prospects for growth of the manufacturing sector.

David Gauke: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility is responsible for the official economic and fiscal forecast. Returning the UK to sustainable economic growth is the Government's overriding priority and will form the basis of the Government's agenda for the rest of the Parliament. This includes a strongly performing manufacturing sector, helping to support growth and investment.
	The CIPs Purchasing Managers' index survey for January showed the manufacturing index at a record high. This was accompanied by a rapid increase in manufacturing output and the fastest growth in new orders in the survey's history.

Gold and Foreign Currency Reserves

Mark Spencer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the level of gold and foreign currency reserves.

Justine Greening: The UK's official holdings of reserves are released on a monthly basis by HM Treasury. As of the end of January 2011 the UK's gross reserves stood at $82.04 billion (£51.23 billion).

Gold and Foreign Currency Reserves

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the level of gold and foreign currency reserves.

Justine Greening: The UK's official holdings of reserves are released on a monthly basis by HM Treasury. As of the end of January 2011 the UK's gross reserves stood at $82.04 billion (£51.23 billion).

Private Sector Growth

Annette Brooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to stimulate growth in the private sector.

Justine Greening: Last year's Budget and spending review set out a credible plan to tackle the deficit and ensure macroeconomic and financial stability. A programme of cutting corporation tax from 28 to 24% over the next four years will provide the certainty and stability that businesses need to invest in the UK. And the Growth Review, reporting at Budget, will aim to create the right conditions for businesses to succeed, removing barriers that prevent them from performing to their full potential.

Comprehensive Spending Review

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review on levels of demand and output in the economy in the next four years.

Danny Alexander: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts. The OBR's assessment of the effects of the comprehensive spending review on the economy was included in its November forecast. The forecast was for a sustained recovery in economic output.
	Other independent forecasters agree with the OBR's assessment for continued economic growth over the next four years.
	The Government are committed to providing the conditions for sustainable, private sector led economic growth.

Bankers' Bonuses

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent progress he has made on limiting employee bonuses paid by large banks.

Mark Hoban: The Government have taken robust action to tackle unacceptable bank bonuses. The FSA Remuneration Code has been revised and now includes the world's toughest rules on deferral of pay and performance alignment and includes an explicit cap on the amount of cash payable upfront as part of a bonus. In addition, the new FSA disclosure rules will improve transparency of pay and facilitate better oversight. These new rules came into force on 1 January 2011 and will cover all payments and awards in the coming bonus round.

Banks: Regulation

Edward Balls: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will publish the agenda of each meeting that has taken place under Project Merlin;
	(2)  how many meetings between  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials of his Department and representatives of the banking sector as part of negotiations on Project Merlin have taken place; and at what location each such meeting was held;
	(3)  what the terms of reference are for his Department's discussions with representatives of the banking sector under Project Merlin;
	(4)  which  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials of his Department have represented the Government during Project Merlin discussions with representatives of the banking sector.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
	The Government are seeking a new settlement with the banks. Any announcements will be made in due course.

Debts: Developing Countries

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to assess the effectiveness of the operation of the Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Act 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: The Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill received Royal Assent on 8 April 2010 and the Act came into force on 8 June 2010. The legislation means that UK Courts of Law can no longer be used to pursue excessive claims against some of the poorest countries on their historic debts, ensuring that resources are available to tackle poverty. The sunset clause attached to this legislation means that the law will expire on 7 June 2011. The Government are reviewing whether or not to extend the Act.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010.

Justine Greening: In the last six months my Department has revoked the following statutory instruments:
	The International Monetary Fund (Limit on Lending) Order 2009 (S.I. No. 2009/1830)
	The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Contribution to Costs of Special Resolution Regime) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 2009/807)
	The Iran (European Community Financial Sanctions) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1374)
	The Iran (European Community Financial Sanctions) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2613).
	The Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010 has revoked:
	Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/3365)
	Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2001 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1297)
	Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2001 (Amendment) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/1525)
	Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/2657)
	Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1747)
	Financial Restrictions Proceedings (UN Terrorism Orders) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1911).

Financial Inclusion Fund

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to extending the Financial Inclusion Fund debt advice service beyond the end of March 2011.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF) has always been due to close in March 2011. However, the Government have not yet taken a decision on the future of the projects currently funded from the FIF, including the face-to-face debt advice service.
	The Government remain committed to helping poorer households to access appropriate financial services, to improve their financial resilience and to avoid falling into unsustainable levels of debt.

Financial Inclusion Fund

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to support debt advice service providers to ensure that debt counselling is available following the closure of the Financial Inclusion Fund at the end of March 2011.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF) has always been due to close in March 2011. However, the Government have not yet taken a decision on the future of the projects currently funded from the FIF, including the face-to-face debt advice service.
	The Government remain committed to helping poorer households to access appropriate financial services, to improve their financial resilience and to avoid falling into unsustainable levels of debt.

Financial Services Authority: Qualifications

Karl McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements the Financial Services Authority has made to ensure that its staff formulating and implementing policy on the Retail Distribution Review have appropriate levels of qualification.

Mark Hoban: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is an independent body and, as such, determines the appropriate qualification levels for its staff.

Fuels: Prices

Naomi Long: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Northern Ireland Assembly on the effects of fuel price increases on growth of the Northern Ireland economy.

Danny Alexander: The Chancellor routinely receives a range of representations from stakeholders such as the devolved Administrations and the general public on current and future rates of excise duty as well as other issues such as road fuel prices.

Immigration Controls

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence his Department provided to the Migration Advisory Committee on the likely economic effects of the immigration cap.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 4 February 2011
	The Treasury responded to the Migration Advisory Committee's consultation on the level of an annual limit on economic migration to the UK, through Tiers 1 and 2 of the points based system. The Treasury provided an analytical paper focused on three areas:
	migration and GDP growth;
	the public finance effects; and
	the potential impact on trade policy.

Income Tax: Scotland

John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change in the number of people paying income tax at 40% in  (a) Glasgow North West constituency,  (b) Glasgow City area and  (c) Scotland from April 2011.

David Gauke: The number of taxpayers paying income tax at the 40% rate in 2011-12 in Scotland is projected to be 281,000, an increase of 47,000 compared with the published projection for 2010-11 (available on the HMRC website at the following address):
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2_2.pdf
	These estimates are based on 2007-08 Survey of personal incomes projected to 2010-11 and 2011-12 in line with the Office of Budget Responsibility's November 2010 economic and fiscal outlook.
	The information requested is not available at city or parliamentary constituency level due to small survey sample sizes at these levels of geography, and because the information is based on the 2007-08 survey data which would not be reliable for this purpose.

Members: Correspondence

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire of  (a) 26 July 2010,  (b) 7 September 2010,  (c) 27 October 2010,  (d) 25 November 2010 and  (e) 12 January 2011 on UK Air Traffic Control.

Justine Greening: I regret that the reply was late on this occasion. I confirm that the Commercial Secretary has now replied.

Mutual Societies

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage mutualisation in banks and building societies.

Mark Hoban: As set out in the coalition agreement, the Government are committed to promoting mutuals to foster diversity and competition within financial services. Building societies are already mutual. It is a commercial decision for the shareholders of banks whether to transfer to a mutual ownership model.

PFI: Worcestershire

Robin Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what projects are being undertaken in  (a) Worcester and  (b) Worcestershire under the private finance initiative; and what the cost to the public purse of financing each such project was in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

Danny Alexander: A list of signed and in procurement PFI projects can be found on HM Treasury's website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfi_stats.htm
	For each PFI project, this list details the project name, the capital value, the constituency, the procuring authority and whether it is on or off balance sheet, as used by the ONS in calculating public sector net debt.
	These data are currently being updated and revised data will be published at Budget 2011.
	The following table details the five projects which have reached financial close in Worcester and Worcestershire:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Department  Commissioning body  Project name  Estimated capital value  Estimated unitary charge payment 2009-10  Estimated unitary charge payment 2010-11 
			 Department for Education Worcestershire County Council Bromsgrove Schools PFI 64 8.20 8.26 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Herefordshire and Worcestershire Waste Management Project 40 33.40 35.00 
			 Department of Health Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS trust New District General hospital 87 25.21 25.84 
			 Ministry of Justice Worcester county council Hereford and Worcester magistrates court 25 6.31 6.44 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport Worcestershire county council Worcester Library and History Centre 43 (1)- (1)- 
			 (1) Project not yet operational.

Public Expenditure

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which projects with a monetary value between £500 million and £600 million he has allocated funding since his appointment

Danny Alexander: holding answer 31 January 2011
	Budget allocations for the years 2011-12 to 2014-15 were set out in the 2010 spending review.
	A small number of projects were announced and the detail of these can be found in the spending review document. However, Departments retain the flexibility to fund projects, subject to the usual value for money tests, in accordance with their funding allocations and will hold information on individual projects; more information will therefore be available through visiting departmental websites or through contacting Departments directly.
	In addition, the Government have set out the need for greater transparency across their operations to enable the public to hold public bodies and politicians to account. This includes commitments relating to public expenditure, intended to help achieve better value for money. As part of the transparency agenda, the Government have made the following initial commitments with regard to public expenditure:
	Have made more public spending data more accessible through the online publication of the COINS database.
	All new items of central Government spending over £25,000 to be published online from November 2010.
	All new central Government ICT contracts over the value of £10,000 to be published in full online from July 2010.
	All new central Government tender documents for contracts over £10,000 to be published on a single website from September 2010, with this information to be made available to the public free of charge.
	All new central Government contracts to be published in full from January 2011.

Public Finance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the size of the budget deficit.

Danny Alexander: The latest outturn figure for the public sector net borrowing (PSNB) is 11.1% of GDP, or £156.5 billion in 2009-10. Outturn figures for PSNB can be found in the public finances databank on the Treasury website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psf_statistics.htm
	In their 'Economic and Fiscal forecast', published on 29th November, the independent Office for Budget Responsibility forecast public sector net borrowing to 2015-16. This is available at:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/d/econ_fiscal_outlook_291110.pdf

Tax Collection

Sajid Javid: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is considering to simplify the tax collection system.

David Gauke: The Government aims to restore the UK tax system's reputation for predictability, stability and simplicity. To help achieve this, the independent Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) was established on 20 July to provide independent advice to the Chancellor on simplifying the UK tax system.
	The Government will consider the recommendations made by the OTS when the final report is published.